Recycling Europe backs regional preference policy

The Brussels-based industry association Recycling Europe (formerly known as EuRIC), says it strongly supports “European preference” policies that put materials “made in the EU” at the heart of Europe’s industrial and economic strategy.

However, adds the group, such policies also should be mindful of “safeguarding open and unhampered markets for recycled materials” around the world.

A set of “made in Europe” policies can strengthen Europe’s industrial base, secure strategic material supplies and help deliver on the EU’s target of achieving a 24 percent circular material use rate as set out in the EU’s Clean Industrial Deal plan, says Recycling Europe.

“All recycled materials produced by European recyclers are already ‘made in Europe,’ as they originate from [materials] collected, sorted and reprocessed within the EU,” says Maria Vera Duran, policy director at Recycling Europe. “Recognizing this reality through a European preference [for] materials is a simple and powerful way to reinforce Europe’s industrial resilience.”

The organization says many of its member companies also wish to stress that a “made in Europe” preference must be paired with targeted incentives under the upcoming Industrial Accelerator Act, the revision of EU rules on public procurement, and the new Circular Economy Act, to boost the use of recycled materials in manufacturing applications.

That approach would secure raw material supplies through greater circularity, strengthen European manufacturing and industrial competitiveness, and accelerate decarbonization, as recycled materials typically have a significantly lower carbon footprint than primary, extracted materials, says Recycling Europe.

The organization says EU policymakers can incentivize the use of recycled materials in products through green public procurement, product design and upcoming industrial and circular economy legislation.

“Incentives are far more powerful than restrictions with multiple side effects and should go hand in hand with a much-needed simplification of EU rules to boost circular value chains and market access,” says Vera Duran.