In its Conclusions adopted at the Environment Council meeting on 4 October 2019, the Council of the EU confirms its support for the circular economy policy and reiterates that it will remain a priority in the coming years. Therefore, it invited the Commission to present at least two strategies in the coming months.
First, a new action plan for the circular economy that identifies targets, tools and indicators for, inter alia, the food sector in a way that it could contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the loss of biodiversity and land degradation. Second, a long-term strategic framework – for either 2030 or 2050. The strategic framework should address the issue of bioplastics and biodegradability.
A system that allows waste to be managed correctly, safely and sustainably, and the full implementation of EU waste acquis are both cornerstones to prevent resources from being lost. The Council invites Member States to fully implement the rules, and to use existing EU funding to increase the capacity of the recycling infrastructure. Moreover, the Commission is invited to present a proposal for the revision of the EU waste shipment regulation that should facilitate the movement of waste destined for recycling in order to incentivize market availability of high-quality, toxic-free products obtained from recovered materials.