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.
RREUSE has responded to the public consultation regarding whole life-cycle carbon (WLC) emissions in the buildings sector. The European Commission initiated the consultation on a roadmap it intends to develop in this area, in pursuit of climate neutrality by 2050. Current EU policies primarily focus on energy efficiency to reduce operational emissions. Yet, reducing emissions from construction, renovation, maintenance, and demolition activities is essential to achieve climate neutrality.
RREUSE, ECOS, and Deutsche Umwelthilfe produced a joint position paper on a reducing our dependency on Critical Raw Materials, which was submitted as answer to the consultation following the publication of the Regulation. Critical raw materials are used in a growing array of products, including renewable energy technologies, electronic and electrical equipment, and batteries for electric vehicles.
RREUSE joined forces with many other organisations to release a Call to Action for the Just Transition. The organisations call on European Ministers for Environment and Energy, as well as other EU and national level decisionmakers, to complement the implementation of urgently needed, ambitious environmental and climate policies with robust social policies that protect marginalised people primarily and the regions suffering disproportionately from the transition, whilst guaranteeing access to high-quality essential services for all. They call on them to show bold and forward-thinking political leadership by prioritising the promotion of climate action and social justice as one coherent and mutually reinforcing agenda.
The current cost-of-living crisis has had a significant impact on households across all Europe. With rising inflation, the cost of basic goods and services is increasing at a rate that outpaces wages, leaving households struggling to make ends meet. According to a European Parliament Eurobarometer survey, 93% of Europeans are worried about the rising cost of living1. Higher prices contribute to general uncertainty. As a matter of fact, the threat of poverty and social exclusion has now become the second most pressing concern for 82% of Europeans, according to the same survey.