In addition to the ‘Critical Raw Materials Act’ (CRMA) package of measures, a genuine single market for waste and recycling should be created.
 

Mario Draghi, former head of the European Central Bank, presented his report on the future of EU competitiveness to EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the beginning of September. The results are to be incorporated into the Commission's work on a new plan for sustainable prosperity and competitiveness in Europe, in particular in the development of the new ‘Clean Industrial Deal’, which is to be presented in the first 100 days of the Commission's new mandate. At the press conference to hand over the report, von der Leyen explained that the report was based on two fundamental principles: ‘Firstly, we can only ensure our long-term competitiveness by moving away from fossil fuels and towards a clean and competitive circular economy. Secondly, our efforts to be competitive must go hand in hand with increasing prosperity for all in Europe.’ One of the aspects of competitiveness examined by the Draghi report is the EU's access to critical raw materials. The new EU regulation on critical and strategic raw materials adopted in spring 2024 is seen as an important first step. However, the report calls for further measures beyond this, including the creation of a genuine internal market for waste and recycling within the EU and, where possible, restrictions on its export to third countries. The report recommends incentivising recycling and/or the use of recycled raw materials and creating a level playing field for recyclates from the EU and third countries. Market access for imports that do not meet specified thresholds for certain environmental footprint categories should be prohibited, according to the report. The report recommends the introduction of binding targets for the use of recycled materials in certain sectors. The recommendation is to ‘maintain the rule that national (or EU) recycling targets can only be achieved if the material is recycled in Europe’. The report calls for facilitations for cross-border waste shipments within the EU.
 
Sources:

• European Commission press release (9.9.2024)
• euwid-recycling.de (17.9.2024)
• Photo: © EU 2024, Aurore Martignoni / EC AV Service