Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, on April 14, 2022, RREUSE, the European Network of Reuse and Recycling Social Enterprises, in cooperation with ENSIE, the European Network of Work Integration Social Enterprises (WISEs), organised an online discussion among their members in the presence of representatives of the European Commission (DG EMPL, DG GROW).
RREUSE welcomes the initiative and calls on the Commission to ensure the Council Recommendation sends a clear message to Member States to promote a better national framework in support of the actors of the social economy, including social enterprises active in reuse, repairing, and recycling waste management activities.
As part of its Circular Economy Action Plan, the European Commission published the “EU strategy for sustainable and circular textiles” on the 30th of March 2022. This communication presents the Commission’s vision for the future of the textile industry and related pieces of legislation concerning the sector. RREUSE puts forward a series of recommendations for the effective implementation of the Strategy.
A new site for the treatment of used solar panels has been established and inaugurated in Saint-Loubès, a town close to Bordeaux, on September 27th. This new centre is the first of its kind in Europe and is expected to highlight innovative re-use, refurbishing, and recycling activities that have not been applied before in Europe.
On September 30 2022, RREUSE organised a site visit to two major Belgian sorting facilities owned by the social enterprises “Les Petits Riens” and “De Kringwinkel”.