The New Circular Economy Action Plan

Abstract

On March 11th 2020, the European Commission presented one of the European Green Deal’s (EGD) main blocks: the Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP). The Commission recognised that the ambitious environmental objectives, the transition towards a regenerative growth model, and the decoupling of economic growth from resource use need to be adequately supported and identified a strategy to upscale the circular-economy approach from the front-runners to the mainstream economic players. Such a strategy is presented as the main instrument to achieve these goals, as it would contribute significantly to ensuring the long-term competitiveness of the European Union. The plan, in particular, aims at guaranteeing the regulatory framework implementation, the maximisation of the business opportunities that the transition provides and the minimisation of the burdens and the obstacles on people and businesses. This action, together with all the others included in the European Green Deal, represents a pivotal step in meeting the Paris Agreement goals.