The EU Circular Economy
This article examines the circular economy as a core pillar of the European Union’s strategy for sustainable development and strategic autonomy. It traces the theoretical origins of circular economy thinking and analyses its progressive institutionalisation through EU policymaking, notably since th...
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| Médium: | Article ou chapitre numérique |
| Jazyk: | Français |
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2026
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| On-line přístup: | Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM |
| Shrnutí: | This article examines the circular economy as a core pillar of the European Union’s strategy for sustainable development and strategic autonomy. It traces the theoretical origins of circular economy thinking and analyses its progressive institutionalisation through EU policymaking, notably since the 2015 Circular Economy Action Plan and the European Green Deal. Methodologically, this article combines qualitative policy analysis with quantitative analysis of EU material flow and circularity indicators, drawing primarily on Eurostat and OECD data. This approach is complemented by a sectoral case study of the battery value chain, used to examine how EU circular economy regulation translates into practice and to identify structural constraints affecting implementation.
The analysis shows that EU policy has evolved from a focus on waste management towards a life-cycle and value-chain approach integrating eco-design, consumer empowerment, and sector-specific strategies. Despite this, empirical evidence indicates limited progress: the EU’s circular material use rate only reached 12.2% in 2024, well below the trajectory required to meet 2030 targets. The forthcoming Circular Economy Act (2026) seeks to accelerate the transition by creating a single market for secondary raw materials. A battery sector case study highlights the tension between regulatory ambition, environmental trade-offs and persistent dependencies on critical raw materials. The article concludes that achieving circularity requires stronger market incentives, improved policy coherence, and the systematic integration of social, financial, and environmental dimensions.
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