European Commissioner Jessica Roswall met 16 young people in Brussels on Monday, 31 August, to discuss their recommendations for the European Commission’s planned Circular Economy Act.
The meeting formed part of the Commission’s “Youth Check” process, which gathers views from people aged 15 to 29 to feed into upcoming EU policies, the Commission announced on Tuesday.
Participants presented a youth position paper that sets out proposals for the draft law, following earlier exchanges at the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform’s annual conference in April.
The group urged the Commission to design the Circular Economy Act to go beyond waste management and focus on using resources more efficiently, making products easier to repair and reuse, and ensuring safe, high-quality “secondary materials” — recycled materials used again in manufacturing.
They also called for measures to keep the transition “affordable and fair”, invest in circular economy skills, and keep young people involved as the policy is put into practice.
What the Circular Economy Act is expected to cover
The Circular Economy Act is due to be adopted before the end of 2026, and is described as a Commission initiative intended to accelerate the shift to a more circular economy across the EU.
The Commission said the planned law is intended to improve the “business case” for circular practices by making it easier to move recycled products, materials and waste across borders within Europe.
It is also intended to increase the supply of high-quality recycled materials and encourage demand for them in the EU.
“Young people are not only stakeholders in Europe’s circular transition; they are essential partners in shaping it,” Roswall said, adding that the recommendations would help inform the Commission’s work as it prepares the legislation.
Representatives of Generation Climate Europe and Academics for a Circular Economy said they welcomed the chance to share their recommendations with Roswall and the Commission’s environment department, and said they were ready to continue contributing ideas as the work continues.
