RREUSE acknowledges the crucial role of the European Social Fund in providing fairer job opportunities and living standards for over 110,000 workers in more than 1,100 social enterprises of the wide RREUSE Network. While we encourage ESF to build upon its good track record we also provide recommendations to enhance social enterprise support.
RREUSE supports the proposed revision of the Waste Framework Directive, as it recognises the significant role of social enterprises in promoting textile re-use. However, further clarification and improvements are necessary to enhance the effectiveness and ambition of the legislation, particularly concerning the upcoming Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes on textiles.
With this letter, RREUSE and 16 partner organisations call on EU Member States and the Council to support the provisions on the social and due diligence dimensions of the ESPR, which were approved by a large majority of the European Parliament in July 2023.
The European Semester process has gradually gained prominence as a monitoring mechanism for several EU objectives. While the 2022 European Semester cycle is moving in the right direction, a more robust social component is imperative. The European Commission should not miss its potential to steer Member States to prioritise developing the social economy and designing green policies to achieve a socially fair and just transition.
The demand for Electrical and Electronic Equipment devices is on the rise. However, this demand is depleting valuable resources while leading to high energy consumption. The current Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE Directive) is no longer fit for purpose. Along with other environmental organisations in Europe, RREUSE has produced a joint position paper with ten recommendations to revise, expand and update the existing Directive and alleviate these issues.
RREUSE, along with 10 other NGOs and business associations, urges EU lawmakers to incorporate waste prevention and local re-use as guiding principles into future EPR schemes for mandatory textile separate collection.
As the amount of waste from electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) grows rapidly, regulatory interventions in this area are ever more relevant. Therefore RREUSE eagerly took the opportunity to engage in the public consultation on the evaluation of the WEEE Directive. This is a vital piece of legislation shaping the management of electronic waste in the EU.
RREUSE is pleased to announce the submission of its commitments as part of the Textiles Ecosystem Transition Pathway, which aims at collecting commitments from stakeholders on the concrete actions to support the transition and resilience of the textiles ecosystem.
As the European network of social enterprises active in repair, re-use and recycling, RREUSE welcomes the European Commission’s (EC) intention to evaluate and review the Textiles Labelling Regulation (TLR). The last partial assessment dates back to 2014 and contains persistent issues.
RREUSE contributed to the drafting of an open letter by the Right to Repair Coalition that highlights the importance of including ambitious circularity provisions within the Critical Raw Material Act. This call to action comes at the start of the inter-institutional negotiations on this piece of legislation.
RREUSE has published a new Position Paper highlighting data on skills from its network and policy recommendations for the 2023 European Year of Skills. Social enterprises carry a long tradition of providing inclusive circular upskilling and reskilling to vulnerable groups. They foster manual circular skills necessary for a circular economy, social cohesion and job creation.
RREUSE has responded to the call for evidence regarding the mid-term evaluation of the EU funding for the environment and climate action. The evaluation will cover the period 2021-2024 and will focus on whether the LIFE programme is achieving its objectives and strategic focus.