The European Commission’s Circular Economy Act—due for adoption in 2026—aims to double the EU’s circular material use rate from 12% to 24% by 2030. Key regulations already in force include the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (July 2024), the 'right to repair' Directive (July 2024), the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (February 2025), and the Batteries Regulation (July 2023). These laws mandate design-for-circularity, extended producer responsibility, and harmonised secondary raw material markets—directly reshaping procurement, logistics, and reverse supply chain operations for global firms serving the EU.
According to environment.ec.europa.eu, the European Commission is advancing a comprehensive legal framework to accelerate the EU’s transition to a circular economy, with binding targets and cross-value-chain regulations directly impacting global supply chain operations.
Core Metrics and Urgency
The source states that the EU’s current circular material use rate is 11.8% — rounded to 12% in official communications — and that the Clean Industrial Deal sets a binding target to double it to 24% by 2030. This metric measures how much of the materials used in the EU economy are recycled or reused rather than discarded. Supporting this urgency, the source notes that 90% of biodiversity loss is caused by resource extraction and processing, and that up to 80% of products’ environmental impacts are determined at the design phase.
Circular Economy Act (2026)
Due for adoption in 2026, the Circular Economy Act aims to establish a Single Market for secondary raw materials, increase the supply of high-quality recycled inputs, and stimulate demand across EU industries. According to the report, the Act will build on the second Circular Economy Action Plan (adopted March 2020) and reinforce measures to accelerate Europe’s shift to a resource-efficient, low-waste and climate-neutral economy. In August 2025, the Commission launched a public consultation on the draft Act and invited youth input via its ‘Youth Check’ tool.
Key Enabling Legislation Already in Force
- Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR): Entered into force in July 2024; described as the cornerstone of the Commission’s approach to sustainable and circular products.
- Directive empowering consumers for the green transition: Adopted March 2024; mandates better point-of-sale information on product durability, reparability, and legal guarantee rights.
- ‘Right to repair’ Directive: Entered into force in July 2024.
- Industrial and Livestock Rearing Emissions Directive (IED 2.0): Applies since August 2024; integrates circular practices and resource efficiency into Best Available Techniques.
- Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR): Entered into force February 2025; replaces the prior Directive and harmonises rules for secondary raw materials, manufacturing, recycling, and reuse.
- Batteries Regulation: Adopted July 2023; ensures batteries placed on the EU market are sustainable and circular across their entire life cycle.
- Waste Shipment Regulation: Entered into force May 2024; aims to prevent export of EU waste challenges.
- REACH restriction on intentionally added microplastics: Adopted in 2023; complemented by a proposed Microplastics Regulation in the same year.
Upcoming Revisions and Strategic Alignment
The Commission has evaluated the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive and will use those findings to inform its revision proposal — slated for inclusion in the upcoming Circular Economy Act. The source confirms that all 54 actions under the first Circular Economy Action Plan (December 2015) have been delivered or are being implemented, and that most legal acts under the second Action Plan (2020) have already been adopted and entered into force.
Practical Implications for Supply Chain Professionals
For global supply chain professionals, these developments signal mandatory upstream and downstream adaptations: product design must now embed reparability and material traceability; procurement teams must verify compliance with ESPR and PPWR requirements; logistics and reverse logistics functions face expanded obligations for collection, sorting, and return of packaging, batteries, and WEEE; and sourcing strategies must increasingly prioritise certified secondary raw materials. Harmonisation under the PPWR and the forthcoming Circular Economy Act reduces fragmentation but raises compliance thresholds across borders — especially for exporters supplying into the EU single market. The 24% circularity target by 2030 is not aspirational: it is anchored in enforceable legislation with cascading obligations across tiers of the supply chain.
“Embrace the Nose-to-Tail Philosophy! Try using more parts of the animal in your cooking. Instead of only buying standard cuts of meat, consider incorporating offal (like hearts, livers, or kidneys) into dishes.” — Miguel Azevedo Peres, Founder of Pigmeu
“Take reusable bags or glass jars and head to a local market, a cooperative or local farmer. It’s a great way to support small producers, reduce packaging, and enjoy the morning air.” — Freddy met Curry, Zero waste, local & organic catering
Source: environment.ec.europa.eu
Compiled from international media by the SCI.AI editorial team.
