Circular Economy Package: A positive step towards greening the economy but harmonisation across the EU internal market is essential

This week’s circular economy package marks a significant step forward toward delivering on the European Green Deal to make Europe the first climate neutral continent in the world. The proposal sets the right ambition to improve the sustainability of our products while empowering manufacturers to continue to innovate. However, it is crucial to ensure harmonisation of sustainability requirements across the entire EU internal market.

Director-General of DIGITALEUROPE Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl said:

“The European Commission’s circular economy package is certainly a promising ambition that will help the EU achieve its climate and circular economy targets. Digital solutions can be used as powerful tools to support an efficient and harmonized implementation of this new regulation. ICT tools such as blockchain technology can be used to verify and certify environmental labelling, ensuring transparency and preventing greenwashing whilst protecting sensitive information

Today’s consumer is already a frequent user of technology, we know that more than 80% of customers use a combination of online and offline research before making a purchase. Digital tools will enable manufacturers to ramp up innovative ways to convey key product information and targeted data to consumers.”

Our sector is empowering consumers and industry players to take part in the circular economy in many ways such as providing transparent information on the sustainability credentials of products, facilitating repair, providing extended product guarantees offering trade-in programmes and refurbished products.

As the EU institutions start sketching out concrete ideas to communicate environmental information to customers, it will be essential to embrace digital solutions. Digitisation can help prevent information overwhelm among consumers and can increase coherence across all European markets. It is also vital to use EU-wide harmonised methodology and product-specific standardisation to put the EU at the forefront of the green transition.

DIGITALEUROPE speaks on behalf of the digitally transforming industries in Europe, representing 130 members and over 35,000 businesses. We look forward to cooperating with the EU institutions to ensure this package of measures translates into concrete practical measures where the power of digital is fully optimized for the benefit of European citizens and businesses.