Aiming at accelerating the green and digital transitions of the EU industry, the European Commission has prepared a Staff Working Document to outline possible scenarios for a transition pathway for a more resilient, sustainable, and digital textiles ecosystem. RREUSE reflected on the issues and possible output scenarios for 2030 that were presented in the Staff Working Document, and put together the response below.

To maximise the opportunities envisioned under the Social Economy Action Plan’s potential, RREUSE puts forward a series of recommendations related to four priority areas.

RREUSE is delighted to announce the publication of the “Research study on developing re-use networks in Europe”, which aims to analyse networks of social economy re-use operators in Europe. RREUSE was selected by Kierrätyskeskus to conduct the study and draft the report in the framework of CIRCWASTE, a seven-year LIFE project aiming to promote the circular economy in Finland.

RREUSE is enthusiastic to be among the cosignatories of the Pact for Skills Partnership and believes it can be a useful instrument to support the decades-long work of social enterprises active in the circular economy for the promotion of green and transferable skills and lifelong learning opportunities.

RREUSE and EU Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius had a conversation on the social value in the circular transition, as part of the celebrations for the 20th anniversary of RREUSE. This discussion was the third part of a conversation series, the first two parts of which included meetings with Lakshmi Narayan, Co-founder of the trade union Kagad Kach Patra Kashtakari Panchayat (KKPKP), and Adam Minter, Columnist with Bloomberg Opinion and author of Secondhand: Travels in the New Global Garage Sale and Junkyard Planet: Travels in the Billion Dollar Trash Trade.

To complement the extension of the scope of the Ecodesign Directive, which should in the future apply to other types of products than electronics and pay particular attention to making products more durable and repairable, the Commission has recently launched a public consultation on the “Sustainable consumption of goods – promoting the right to repair and reuse”.

Re-use and preparation for re-use targets are essential to implement the principles of the waste hierarchy and promote job creation. The current practice of combining preparing for re-use and recycling targets undermines the waste hierarchy, as countries without separate re-use or preparing for re-use objectives usually favour recycling.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, most social enterprises active in the circular economy faced significant challenges. However, RREUSE members stayed proactive in contributing to a fair and green recovery where possible, and offered all kinds of social and environmental services to help those most in need, with a strong focus on re-use, repair and recycling.

4 NGOs and representatives of waste treatment operators call on the European Commission for a fast and fundamental revision of rules on electronic waste (WEEE Directive).