Event Roundup / EU Green Week Report

EU Green Week 2025 Signals Shift from Circular Economy Policy to Action

At EU Green Week 2025, leaders reaffirmed that circular economy is not just green policy—it’s Europe’s competitive strategy. From the upcoming Circular Economy Act to fast fashion regulations, the EU aims to reduce resource dependency, boost innovation, and scale circular systems. Now, the focus shifts from ambition to implementation.

Tom Vöege

9 June 2025

6 minutes

Long Story, Cut Short

The upcoming EU Circular Economy Act will set mandatory recycled content, durability standards, and digital tracking to accelerate circular industry transformation.
New EU rules targeting fast fashion will enforce EPR, ban destruction of unsold goods, and introduce mandatory ecodesign standards to reduce textile waste.
Despite strong circular economy policies, EU stakeholders warn of an implementation gap and urge investment, digital tools, and SME support to close it.

This year’s theme at the EU Green Week from 3-5 June, ‘Circular Solutions for a Competitive EU’ – emphasised the 3 Cs: Clean, Competitive, and Circular.

Circular Solutions for a Competitive EU This year’s theme at the EU Green Week from 3-5 June, ‘Circular Solutions for a Competitive EU’ – emphasised the 3 Cs: Clean, Competitive, and Circular — underscoring the EU’s commitment to embedding circular economy principles into its economic framework. The event brought together policymakers, industry leaders, and stakeholders to discuss sustainable competitiveness, waste reduction, and innovation. Tom Vöege

The EU Green Week Brussels conference, the European Union’s premier environmental meet, from 3-5 June, not only reinforced Europe’s global leadership in circular policy, but also served as a reminder that legislation alone won’t deliver a circular economy. What is needed is a cultural and economic shift, from throwaway habits to stewardship, from quantity to quality.

This year’s theme, ‘Circular Solutions for a Competitive EU’ – emphasising the 3 Cs: Clean, Competitive, and Circular — underscored the EU’s commitment to embedding circular economy principles into its economic framework. The event brought together policymakers, industry leaders, and stakeholders to discuss sustainable competitiveness, waste reduction, and innovation.

With the Circular Economy Act on the horizon, harmonised EPR systems rolling out, and digital innovations enabling radical transparency, the EU is on the cusp of a new industrial era, one where economic success and environmental sustainability go hand-in-hand. Key takeaways from this event include:

EU Green Week 2025 focused on integrating circularity into competitiveness, highlighting new policies and industrial strategies.
The EU Circular Economy Act, expected in 2026, will provide a harmonised legal framework for circularity across sectors.
The textile industry is undergoing a transformation through EPR, ecodesign rules, and restrictions on fast fashion practices.
Digital Product Passports will be a cornerstone of future circular regulation.
Businesses, policymakers, and consumers must now work together to bridge the gap between ambition and implementation

The Mood, The Chatter

And perhaps most importantly, there was a sense that momentum is finally gathering. The energy wasn’t just coming from institutions or NGOs, but from entrepreneurs, city leaders, designers, and young professionals who see circularity not as a constraint, but as a creative frontier. The message was clear: the time for conceptual frameworks is over, Europe must now lead by doing.

Panelists exhorted, “Waste is not caused not by a lack of technology, but by a lack of imagination!”

Beyond the formal panels and polished presentations, the real pulse of EU Green Week could be felt in the corridors, cafés, and impromptu gatherings — where the mood was equal parts urgency and cautious optimism. There was a shared sense that the circular economy has lingered too long in the realm of ambition and strategy papers. “We’ve talked enough,” one participant said bluntly. “Now it’s time to build, to scale, to act.”

Industry voices, while pragmatic, echoed this need for momentum. Many called not just for targets, but for smart, stable regulation, i.e. the kind that creates clarity, levels the playing field, and rewards those who lead. It was clear that companies are ready to move, but they need policy to steer with vision and consistency. Guidance, not just pressure, was the recurring theme. “Ideology is not enough; businesses rely on numbers”.

There was also a growing recognition that circularity is no longer just an environmental ideal, it’s becoming an economic imperative. In a global market that’s shifting fast, the EU’s competitiveness increasingly hinges on its ability to reduce resource dependency, innovate in materials and design, and capture value from waste. The circular economy isn’t just good policy, it is essential strategy. “Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) should be a carrot not a stick”

Tom Vöege

Dr TOM VÖEGE currently serves as Director, Public Policy and EU Representative in Brussels for GRS Service GmbH which handles all Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) compliance for its clients. A leading expert in the areas of circular economy, sustainability, and EPR Policy, and a sought after public speaker and author. He is a member of the World Economic Forum Expert Network.

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The Shift Toward Circular: A Strategic Imperative

The circular economy has evolved from a niche sustainability concept into a central pillar of the EU’s industrial policy. Rather than relying on the traditional linear model of take-make-dispose, the circular approach focuses on extending product lifespans, maximising reuse, and regenerating natural systems.

This year’s Green Week showcased the EU’s ambition to mainstream circularity into Europe’s economic DNA, with discussions covering everything from resource efficiency to circular procurement and design standards.

Sessions explored how circular economy strategies can help Europe reduce strategic dependencies on raw materials, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and create new jobs in repair, remanufacturing, and material recovery.

The EU Circular Economy Act: What’s Coming

One of the most anticipated developments highlighted during Green Week was the upcoming EU Circular Economy Act (CEA), expected to be formally proposed in late 2026. This legislation will serve as the backbone of Europe’s transition from an extractive to a regenerative economy.

The CEA is being built upon the momentum of the 2020 Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP), and will likely introduce a more coherent, enforceable framework for promoting circularity across all sectors. Among the expected provisions:

Harmonised rules for secondary raw materials to facilitate cross-border trade in recycled materials.
Mandatory circularity criteria for priority sectors like textiles, electronics, construction, packaging, and vehicles.
Minimum recycled content thresholds and durability standards for products placed on the EU market.
New digital tools, including expanded Digital Product Passports (DPPs), to trace materials and ensure transparency across the value chain.
Support mechanisms for circular business models and public-private investment in reuse, refurbishment, and recycling infrastructure.

The CEA is intended to address existing fragmentation among member states’ circular economy policies and provide clarity for businesses looking to invest in circular innovations. It will also aim to reduce reliance on virgin materials, particularly critical raw materials (CRMs), many of which are sourced from geopolitically unstable regions.

Fast Fashion in Crosshairs: Crackdown on Textile Waste

Nowhere is the need for a circular transition more urgent than in the textile and fashion industries. These sectors are among the most resource-intensive in the world, contributing massively to environmental degradation, greenhouse gas emissions, and exploitative labour practices. At the same time, consumer habits — encouraged by ultra-fast fashion business models — have led to overproduction and a growing pile of textile waste across Europe.

The EU has responded with a bold set of initiatives targeting textiles. The 2022 EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles laid the groundwork for upcoming regulations. This year’s Green Week featured panels dedicated to its implementation. The key policy measures in this context include the following:

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for Textiles: Effective from January 2025, all EU Member States are required to establish separate textile collection systems. Brands and retailers must now financially and operationally contribute to the collection, sorting, reuse, and recycling of textile waste
Eco-modulation of fees: Companies will pay fees based on the sustainability of their products. Clothes that are durable, repairable, and recyclable will incur lower fees, while cheaply made, short-lived garments will cost brands more.
Ban on destruction of unsold textiles: Following the lead of countries like France, the EU will soon prohibit the destruction of unsold or returned clothing and footwear, pushing brands to better manage inventory and adopt more sustainable production models.
Product design obligations: Upcoming Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) will include mandatory design requirements for textiles. This will include durability, repairability, and the ability to disassemble garments for recycling.

These measures are designed to make fast fashion less profitable, and circular models — such as resale, rental, and repair — more attractive and economically viable.

And perhaps most importantly, there was a sense that momentum is finally gathering. The energy wasn’t just coming from institutions or NGOs, but from entrepreneurs, city leaders, designers, and young professionals who see circularity not as a constraint, but as a creative frontier. The message was clear: the time for conceptual frameworks is over, Europe must now lead by doing.

This year’s Green Week showcased the EU’s ambition to mainstream circularity into Europe’s economic DNA, with discussions covering everything from resource efficiency to circular procurement and design standards.

Economic DNA This year’s Green Week showcased the EU’s ambition to mainstream circularity into Europe’s economic DNA, with discussions covering everything from resource efficiency to circular procurement and design standards. Tom Vöege

Digital Product Passports: Enabling Transparency and Circularity

A recurring theme at EU Green Week was the increasing role of digitalisation in enabling circularity. Digital Product Passports (DPPs)—digital records attached to products that provide information about their composition, origin, and repair/recycling instructions—will soon become mandatory in sectors like textiles, electronics, and batteries.

DPPs will help consumers make informed decisions and enable recyclers to better manage end-of-life materials. For regulators and enforcement bodies, they will serve as a vital tool for tracking compliance with circular requirements.

This initiative ties in closely with the European Data Strategy, which aims to harness data for climate, resource efficiency, and industrial competitiveness.

The Challenge of Implementation

While the legislative direction is clear, many stakeholders raised concerns about the implementation gap. From harmonised EPR systems to investment in sorting and recycling infrastructure, Europe faces a steep climb to make circularity the norm. Some of the key challenges discussed included:

Infrastructure gaps for textile collection, sorting, and recycling in many EU countries.
Lack of data and traceability, especially in global supply chains.
Low market demand for recycled materials, which remain more expensive than virgin alternatives in most cases.
Consumer awareness and behaviour, with many still prioritising low price and convenience over sustainability.

There were calls for EU funding and technical assistance, especially for SMEs, to support the transition and avoid a scenario in which only large multinational corporations can afford to comply.

Through upcycling, recycling, repairing, and sharing, we can reshape our relationship with materials and consumption. A conversation with cartoonist Gatis Sluka showed how social media can raise awareness.

What will you change Through upcycling, recycling, repairing, and sharing, we can reshape our relationship with materials and consumption. A conversation with cartoonist Gatis Sluka showed how social media can raise awareness. Gatis Sluka

From the Luggage of a Broken System to Cartoons

During EU Green Week, the artistic performance ‘Luggage of a Broken System’ powerfully captured the unsustainable weight of our current consumption patterns. It reflected a world built on a take-make-waste mentality — a system where products are overpackaged, where volume is prioritised over value, and where items are designed to fail. The pace is fast, not fair, and so much is simply planned for the bin.

Each symbol and movement on stage echoed the burden of this linear, extractive model that no longer serves us or the planet. But from that heaviness emerged a shift, a sense of relief and hope embodied in the second act: ‘Light of Change.’ This transition marked a clear message: the linear model has reached its limits. Knowledge alone isn’t enough, action is essential. The future must be circular.

Through upcycling, recycling, repairing, and sharing, we can reshape our relationship with materials and consumption. The performance thus ended with a quiet provocation: What will you change? In a time of climate urgency, this question lingers — not just for policymakers or companies, but for each of us. And in addition, a conversation with cartoonist Gatis Sluka showed how this medium can raise awareness, showcasing the poignant Fast Fashion Cartoon featured by the social media of the Directorate-General for Environment (DG Environment) of the European Commission.