EuRIC sets priorities for next 6 years

The Brussels-based European Recycling Industries’ Confederation (EuRIC) has issued an eight-page document that spells out strategic priorities for commercial European recyclers through 2029.

The organization says the priorities focus on integrating recycling into Europe’s broader industrial and environmental agenda. While the EU government has emphasized circular economy goals and climate policies, EuRIC says a “paradigm shift” may still be needed in how Europe approaches recycling.

“Key highlights include a call for enhancing the global competitiveness of the European recycling sector through balanced trade policies and robust promotion of circular materials to position Europe as a leader in sustainable resource management,” EuRIC writes.

On the trade front, the organization has been critical of barriers to the global free trade of secondary commodities that have been developed by the EU Parliament and European Commission (EC).

The emphasis on cross-border trade was endorsed by the German Association of Metal Traders and Recyclers (VDM), a group comprised primarily of processors and shippers of nonferrous scrap that also has pointed to the potential negative effects of trade barriers.

The VDM “warmly welcomes" the priorities presented by EuRIC and emphasizes the important role of secure access to existing markets and the development of new markets for recycled raw materials in the recycling industry. According to VDM, a holistic policy to promote the circular economy must take into account both environmental and trade policy frameworks.

"In the current paper, EuRIC stresses the central importance of open and fair trade in recycled raw materials to strengthen the competitiveness of the European recycling industry," the VDM says. "In particular, it highlights the importance of protecting free and fair trade in recycled raw materials within and beyond European borders.”

Beyond the trade issues, in its new document, EuRIC advocates for “the advancement of eco-design," pushing for policies that incentivize the use of recycled materials in line with the European Green Deal.

EuRIC points to the role recycling can play in reducing CO₂ and greenhouse gas emissions. “EuRIC emphasizes that prioritizing recycled content can stabilize long-term consumer prices and reduce vulnerability to geopolitical energy market dynamics,” the group says.

The EuRIC strategic priorities document can be found here.

EuRIC is an umbrella organization for recycling industries in Europe. Through its 75 members from 23 European countries, it represents more than 5,500 companies involved in the recycling and trading of numerous materials.