The Circular Economy Act (CEA) could overcome the current limitations of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), which prioritises waste management over more impactful circular strategies such as reuse and repair.
To drive real waste reduction, Zero Waste Europe proposes splitting EPR fees into two distinct budgets: one for waste management and another for waste reduction (supporting mid-level R-strategies). A temporary ‘transition to circularity’ fund could bridge the gap until detailed data is available to introduce specific targets.
Strong governance, transparent reporting, and legally binding targets are essential to ensure EPR schemes effectively finance and scale circular business models across the EU.
Policy brief and infographic available in English.
To address the European Union’s critical challenges in food waste prevention and management, Zero Waste Europe (ZWE) proposes introducing Extended Producer Responsibility for food products (EPRFP) in the upcoming EU Circular Economy Act. This measure could partially shift financial responsibility from public authorities and taxpayers to food producers and retailers, who have significant influence over consumer behaviour and waste generation patterns.
ZWE’s policy recommendations on EPRFP follow the findings and learnings of ”The case for Extended Producer Responsibility for food products” study, co-authored with the Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC).
Available in English.
The European Union faces a critical resource efficiency challenge: food waste represents 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions while EU citizens generate 129kg of food waste per year.
Despite the 2024 EU mandate requiring separate collection of bio-waste, only 26% of kitchen waste is successfully captured, with current food waste collection at just 15.1 million tonnes annually. This number is far below the theoretical potential of 60 million tonnes.
Could Extended Producer Responsibility for Food Products (EPRFP) be a solution?
This study by the Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC) and Zero Waste Europe analyses how implementing EPRFP could address food waste prevention and collection challenges. Unlike traditional waste management funding for bio-waste, which relies entirely on public authorities and taxpayers, EPRFP would shift partial financial and operational responsibility to actors who can significantly influence consumer behaviour and waste generation patterns.
Full study available in English.
Executive Summary available in German.
The 2025 edition of the European Reuse Barometer includes data from 115 reuse companies across Europe, making it the most comprehensive survey on reusable packaging models to date.
Authored by InOff Plastic with support from Zero Waste Europe (through the ReuSe Vanguard Project), New ERA – New European Reuse Alliance, and Planet Reuse, the European Reuse Barometer compiles economic, social and operational data from reuse programmes across retail, e-commerce, hospitality, and transport packaging. The report tracks return rates, funding needs, and business models across reusable systems, demonstrating how reuse is scaling up and making an impact.
Available in English.
Together with DUH, ECOS and EEB, Zero Waste Europe supports strong and horizontal EU rules on recycled content in critical raw materials (CRM) as part of the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), as well as for other materials—i.e. ferrous metals, cobalt, other plastics streams, etc.—with high traceability requirements.
Available in English.
In view of the announced EU Circular Economy Act, this report stresses that current circular policy measures are insufficient to reduce the absolute levels of resource use in the EU – a blindspot that threatens the EU’s strategic autonomy and competitiveness. Crucially, ensuring that future generations can live well within planetary boundaries requires a fundamental shift in material use.
The failure to fully internalise externalities, like environmental degradation and carbon emissions, keeps the market skewed in favour of primary materials, undercutting the competitiveness of secondary materials and circular business models. The report sets out a roadmap for how the EU can internalise such costs and reshape economic incentives. While the report presents three alternatives, the most immediate measure it proposes is expanding the scope of the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to cover additional downstream products and organic chemicals. In the long term, it also recommends pricing a wider set of pollutants and introducing border tax adjustments to reflect their true environmental impacts abroad. Crucially, it calls for a transition toward a tax-based scheme targeting resource use and pollution as a long-term strategy, shifting the burden away from labour-based taxation.
The report also suggests investing additional revenues into projects addressing the consumption of primary resources and targeted policy support to boost the uptake of high-quality recycling and increase the availability of secondary materials.
Available in English.
Europe’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes are failing to deliver on circularity and strategic autonomy.
Our latest study, “Designing EPR to Foster the EU’s Competitiveness and Strategic Autonomy”, analyses 30 years of EPR implementation and proposes a comprehensive framework to transform EPR systems into catalysts for the circular economy transition.
The study lays out a two-pillar plan to unlock EPR’s full potential. The first pillar focuses on system optimisation, calling for harmonised rules across Member States, greater transparency, the creation of a central registry of producers, and the establishment of a European EPR oversight body to reduce administrative burden, tackle free-riding, and support a functioning single market for producer responsibility. The second pillar positions EPR as a circular economy enabler, arguing that EPR fees must go beyond cost-coverage to actively finance waste prevention, reuse, and repair, through dedicated repair funds, reuse infrastructure, and supportive policy measures.
Full repost available in English.
Executive summary available in English, Polish, Estonian, Croatian, French, and Ukrainian.
The European Union stands at a critical juncture. With six planetary boundaries already breached and a rapidly shifting global economy, the Circular Economy Act (CEA) should serve as a guiding compass to drive how we consume and produce differently, how we empower communities, and build resilient economies through job creation in circular sectors. It must promote value preservation and ensure the strategic use of our resources, while ensuring a safe and toxic-free transition for workers, SMEs, and citizens.
Ahead of the European Commission’s publication of the Clean Industrial Deal (CID), Zero Waste Europe presents its position paper laying out the vision for the CEA: more than a technical fix to the waste crisis, it should serve as a guiding compass within a broader industrial strategy.
Available in English.
Executive summary available in English, Portuguese, Croatian, German, and Greek.
Written by Zero Waste Europe’s Founder, Joan Marc Simon, and published by Break Free From Plastic, this study critically examines 30 years of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in Europe and around the globe, revealing its successes and limitations.
While EPR has mobilized resources for waste management, it has struggled to reduce waste generation, promote reuse, and ensure full cost coverage. The report offers a reimagined approach to EPR—one that prioritises waste prevention, fair compensation for waste workers, and transparent governance, aiming to make EPR a true catalyst for sustainability within planetary boundaries.
Key takeaways:
– While EPR has successfully mobilised resources for waste management, it has not led to a reduction in waste generation. In many cases, waste volumes and absolute environmental impact have increased despite EPR implementation.
– EPR systems have generally improved collection and recycling rates in those places where legislation has provided the right guidance, but have struggled to promote waste prevention and reuse or discourage waste disposal (landfilling or waste burning technologies).
– The implementation of EPR in the Global South faces unique challenges, particularly in ensuring fair prices for waste workers and integrating informal sector workers.
– Governance issues, including lack of transparency, compliance with guidelines and conflicts of interest, have hindered the effectiveness of many EPR systems in delivering the best environmental and social outcome.
Full study available in English.
Adapted study and executive summary to include the national context and examples from Spain) available in Catalan.
In this open letter to Members of the European Parliament ahead of the hearings of EU Commissioner-designate candidates, a group of NGOs, EU organisations, and sustainable businesses calls out for stronger circular economy policies in Europe.
With the EU’s Circular Material Use Rate showing minimal improvement over the past decade, the letter asks for rigorous questioning of EU Commissioner-designate candidates on twelve critical areas, including binding resource reduction targets, improved Extended Producer Responsibility frameworks, a healthy circular economy, and circular taxation systems.
Available in English.
The EU’s current consumption of natural resources far exceeds sustainable levels, contributing to multiple crises including climate change, biodiversity loss, and social inequality. This briefing addresses alongside a coalition of environmental NGOs by calling for an EU framework on resource use reduction based on sufficiency measures. This approach aims to align with 1.5°C decarbonisation pathways, reduce dependency on imports, lower energy demand, and strengthen EU competitiveness. The proposal suggests a material footprint target of 5 tonnes per capita by 2050, emphasising the need for sufficiency policies co-created with citizens. Whilst the EU has set ambitious environmental objectives, it lacks a coherent policy framework for resource reduction. The briefing urges MEPs to adopt a legislative initiative report calling on the European Commission to prioritise sufficiency approaches, which are increasingly supported by scientists, policymakers, and citizens as essential for meeting sustainability goals and ensuring a fairer, cleaner, and more resilient Europe.
Available in English and Ukrainian.
Zero Waste Europe joined over 100 organisations in an open letter calling for EU legislation on Sustainable Resource Management. Signed by various NGOs, academics, think tanks, trade unions, and industries, this letter advocates that legislation on Sustainable Resource Management is crucial to address the challenges of global crises, and to ensure that the EU economy operates within planetary boundaries.
Available in English.
Now is the time to build an effective EU policy framework for managing materials – one that will accelerate Europe’s transition to a circular economy, support a strong industrial strategy, and make it easier to do business in Europe.
This joint report by Eunomia Research & Consulting, Handelens Miljøford, Minderoo Foundation, TOMRA, and Zero Waste Europe sets out the components of a regulatory framework that will:
– Harness the power of the Single Market and sustain its unity, enabling a fair and competitive system for all: business, industry, and consumers.
– Minimise administrative burdens for businesses operating in the EU.
– Support a fit-for-the-future industrial strategy that keeps Europe internationally competitive.
– Safeguard the bloc’s material security amid geopolitical uncertainties and price volatility.
– Consolidate Europe’s global leadership in circular economy and digital product policy.
Available in English.
Executive summary available in English and Ukrainian.
White paper for an EU within planetary boundaries
Resource use is the big blind spot in the EU’s climate policy. 90% of global biodiversity loss and water stress, 50% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and over 30% of air pollution health impacts are caused by resource extraction and processing. We are calling on the EU to introduce a framework on sustainable resource management with science-based binding reduction targets. This policy paper, co-produced with eight other NGOs, outlines policy recommendations and arguments in favour of urgent action.
Available in English and Croatian.
The current revision of the Waste Framework Directive, which has guided EU policy in this area since 1975, offers an opportunity to design a coherent and consistent policy framework for a circular economy.
This white paper by Eunomia, TOMRA, Minderoo Foundation, Handelens Miljøfond, and Zero Waste Europe presents a vision for 2040, describing the way in which society will use materials and products in an economy that is well on its way to circularity. This sets the stage for the development of a detailed policy blueprint, supported by research and stakeholder engagement, for the steps needed to realise the vision.
Available in English
The European project as we know it is running out of steam and it is not capable of delivering on its objectives of peace, prosperity, and equality.
In order to stay within the commitment of 1.5°C degrees warming, the broken paradigm based on economic growth should be replaced with a new one. Our Manifesto calls on the need for building a new European project based on wellbeing, sufficiency, and resilience.
