According to Eurostat, environmental tax revenues in the EU amounted to 371.9 billion euros in 2024.

In its report "Scaling circular business models in Europe", the European Environment Agency (EEA) makes it clear that the circular economy in Europe is structurally underdeveloped despite political support and increasing investment in Europe.

The European Commission has presented an action plan for the electrification of Europe as well as proposals for the revision of the European emissions trading system.

From 19 July, large companies in the European Union will no longer be allowed to destroy unsold clothing, clothing accessories and shoes.

Thailand is expanding cooperation between government and industry to support its Thailand net zero 2050 target.

The decarbonization of the cement and concrete industry is increasingly being slowed down less by technological limits than by regulatory frameworks.

Renewable carbon is considered a key to freeing the plastics and chemical industries from fossil raw materials. At the same time, it forms an important basis for the future of the recycling industry. Current EU regulations set hurdles for bio-based raw materials, for the use of CO₂ and for new recycling methods. The Renewable Carbon Initiative's analysis "Policy barriers for renewable carbon uptake" shows where regulatory regulations are slowing down investment.

Incorrectly disposed lithium-ion batteries are creating an increasing fire risk for Europe's waste management and recycling sector.

The international recycling industry has urged policymakers to adopt clear and harmonised rules for the transboundary movement of used textiles under the Basel Convention.

In a recent report, Zero Waste Europe warns that the EU is also setting the wrong incentives with its textile strategy.

Recycling Europe issues a warning about the structural issues endangering European plastic recycling.

Biogenic waste is one of the largest sources of raw materials in the European circular economy, which has so far been underestimated. Food residues, wood waste, sewage sludge and agricultural residues accumulate in enormous quantities, but are still often incinerated or landfilled. The study "Assessing the potential to enhance the circularity of bio-based waste" by Magellan Circle and 3drivers shows that more than half of these materials could be used in a higher quality. To achieve this, better separate collection, new recycling technologies and clear political framework conditions for a circular bioeconomy are crucial.

Europe has developed many of the technologies needed to improve battery recycling. However, experts from the European Union-funded projects FREE4LIB and RESPECT say stronger political coordination and broader industrial deployment are necessary to expand these solutions and secure access to critical raw materials.

The European Parliament has approved the end-of-life vehicles regulation during its plenary session in Strasbourg. Nearly 80 per cent of participating Members of the European Parliament supported the legislation.

The European Parliament has approved a new regulation designed to strengthen circularity in the automotive sector and improve the management of end-of-life vehicles across the European Union. The legislation combines and replaces the existing End-of-Life Vehicles Directive and the 3R Type-Approval Directive within a single legal framework.