ETC/CE 2022-2026

The European Green Deal aims to make the transition to a modern, resource-efficient and competitive economy. The EU is to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. To make this transformation possible, resource use must be optimised. To ensure that waste is avoided and recycled as much as possible and products and components are used for as long as possible, the European Environment Agency (EEA) has identified the circular economy as one of its five strategic areas.

The European Topic Centre on Circular Economy and Resource Use (ETC/CE) 2022-2026 is a consortium of European institutions, led by VITO (Belgium) and contracted by the EEA to supply thematic expertise and carry out specific tasks. The thematic areas, in which the ETC/CE supports the EEA in 2022 are: industrial change (monitoring CE), EU waste legislation, as well as material flows and sustainable resource use.

The Wuppertal Institute, as a member of the ETC/CE consortium, is involved in two key working areas:

• In the area of "Circular Economy and industrial transformation", researchers of the Wuppertal Institute contribute to the assessment and monitoring of a circular economy. Among other things, the establishment of a product passport to is being analyzed as well as country-specific challenges and opportunities for the implementation of the EU Circular Economy Action Plan at national level.
• In the area "Supporting implementation of EU waste legislation", researchers of the Wuppertal Institute analyse the national waste prevention programmes. From the data obtained, profiles are conducted structuring and evaluating the development of waste prevention measures in the respective country. The researchers also examine the effectivity of existing strategies towards a monitoring system of waste prevention.