A coalition of frontrunner European cities and progressive businesses launched an open manifesto calling for a bold overhaul of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) systems under the upcoming EU Circular Economy Act.
Current EPR systems are failing to address the root causes of the waste crisis. They remain stuck in outdated, end-of-pipe solutions that neither incentivise true waste prevention nor support reuse at scale.
Our message to EU policymakers is clear:
We need EPR systems that prioritise waste prevention, enable reuse, and hold producers accountable for the full lifecycle of their packaging.
Check the campaign here
The Manifesto is available in English, Greek, and Portuguese.
For too long in the EU, regulators have sidestepped the issue of dealing with the health impacts of chemical exposure. Our economies are still set up in such a way as to prioritise efficiency and convenience, when we urgently need to strive for a set-up that prioritises sufficiency, wellbeing, and resilience. Member State governments and Members of the European Parliament have the opportunity to lead truly transformative change, responsibly shaping legislation around products and waste to prioritise health outcomes for citizens, instead of sweeping them under the rug. This is Zero Waste Europe’s manifesto for a health deal for Europe – which goes beyond the Green Deal to confront hidden dangers in products and ensure a safer, healthier continent.
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.