Europe’s push for net zero is facing a major roadblock: waste. With most EU countries struggling to meet recycling targets, the question is not just policy, it is action. What challenges do cities face and how can the EU drive real change? The answers lie with those on the front lines of waste management.
Local leaders calling for multi-level cooperation
A recent high-level conference in Brussels, brought together representatives from the Commission, local leaders, and NGOs, to discuss challenges and opportunities to effectively implement a fair EU waste legislation, serving Europe’s competitive circular economy and climate goals. Representatives from Krakow, Sweden’s Västerbotten Region, Portugal’s LIPOR, and Estonia’s Järva Rural Municipality shared insights on the pressure to meet the EU goals of biowaste and textile separate collection, as well as the complex policies, permitting processes, and regulatory uncertainty they must navigate.
In 2008, the EU adopted its Waste Framework Directive which is currently under targeted revision on textiles and food. The directive prioritises sustainable waste management through prevention, reuse, recycling, and the promotion of a circular economy. However, according to recent reports, only nine EU Member States are on track to meet municipal waste recycling targets.
For example, Herwart Wilms, the Vice President of FEAD and Managing Director of REMONDIS, explained that in 61 of the 400 German municipalities (15%), there is no organic waste bin service. Although German law has required separate collection of biowaste since 2015, there are no legal mechanisms through which companies or private citizens can demand separate collection from the supervisory authority.
In addition to enforcement, panelists highlighted a second key issue in meeting the targets of the Directive: the need for public awareness campaigns that boost waste prevention and public-private waste management collaboration.
Benedita Chaves, from Portugal’s LIPOR, shared that many citizens in Porto do not understand the mechanisms through which waste reduction benefits them. “It’s hard to have an incentive to reduce the [waste bin] bill if you don’t know what the bill is [in the first place],” she said.
We need to bring the actors together to have these important conversations about how to bring about the circular economy.
For citizens to support waste management, “solutions must be visible through procurement in the public space,” explained Rait Pihelgas, from the Järva Rural Municipality Council & Association of Estonian Cities and Municipalities.
“We need clear goals, monitoring systems, and economic incentives,” emphasised Wilms.
Another vital takeaway is strengthening collaboration between public and private management sectors to fund implementation. The speakers discussed the financial hurdles they experience while investing in high-tech recycling infrastructure.
“If the circular economy is just dependent on public funds, it will never work. If the circular economy is not independent and profitable, it will not work,” asserted Pihelgas.
“Shared responsibility is essential for success,” added Åsa Ågren Wikström, from the County Council of the Västerbotten Region in Sweden.
A changing mindset, but persistent implementation challenges
Paulina Dejmek Hack, Head of Commissioner Jessika Roswall’s Cabinet for Circular Economy, acknowledged a significant societal shift in attitudes toward waste. However, she also underscored several persistent barriers holding back progress.
First, virgin materials are still cheaper than recycled ones. Second, the EU’s single market for circularity is fragmented and ineffective. Third, inexpensive plastic imports undermine European recycling efforts. Fourth, financing remains a challenge for sustainable waste initiatives. And finally, effective enforcement of key legislation, including the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), Batteries, the Waste Shipment Regulation (WSR), the Single Use Plastics Directive (SUPD), the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), and the Landfill Directive, is crucial to drive real change.
Despite these challenges, Dejmek Hack emphasised that events like these are exactly how we will solve the roadblocks. “This is exactly the way we need to work,” she said. “We need to bring the actors together to have these important conversations about how to bring about the circular economy.”
Energy, materials, and the circular economy
With continued collaboration and policy improvement, we can make significant strides to a circular economy. We can turn vision into action.
Speakers also focused on Europe’s circular economy and its role in material and energy autonomy.
“With continued collaboration and policy improvement, we can make significant strides to a circular economy. We can turn vision into action,” Ågren emphasised.
Matthias Back Kirkegaard, Environment attache at the Permanent Representation of Denmark to the EU, highlighted the urgent need for regulatory simplifications and greater competitiveness across the sector.
“We already have a great policy framework, and we need to leverage that further,” he said.
Aurel Ciobanu-Dordea, the European Commission’s Circular Economy Director, emphasised the importance of aligning waste policies with Green Deal objectives and European industrial competitiveness. He outlined key measures to bridge the cost gap between recycled and virgin materials, including developing clear end-of-waste (EoW) criteria, reducing landfilling, improving separate collection systems, and making recycled materials more accessible and affordable.
A call to action: making circularity work
Europe’s circular material use rate (CMUR) sits at just 12%. To improve this, panelists Olivier François, President of the European Recycling Industries’ Confederation (EuRIC), Claudia Mensi, President of the European Waste Management Association (FEAD), Paul de Bruycker President the Confederation of European Waste-to-Energy Plants (CEWEP), and Back Kirkegaard urged policymakers to reward material and energy recovery initiatives; recognise the vital role of waste management and recycling in EU Sustainability Goals; adopt policies that encourage innovation and investment in the circular economy; and ensure Europe remains competitive while securing essential raw materials through strategic global partnerships.
Whether you are a policymaker, a business leader, or a representative of civil society, each one of us has a unique role to play. Let us continue to engage, to innovate, and to push boundaries to ensure that the vision we share today turns into the reality of tomorrow.
“The circular economy will be necessary to produce enough raw materials for the assets we need to make the energy transition real,” said de Bruycker.
Looking ahead
Zsolt Kükedi, Rapporteur of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), left the audience with a clear message: cross-sector collaboration is essential to balancing competitiveness with environmental responsibility. Clean air, clean soil, and clean water should be the standard for every EU citizen.
“Let us commit to turning our words into action. Whether you are a policymaker, a business leader, or a representative of civil society, each one of us has a unique role to play. Let us continue to engage, to innovate, and to push boundaries to ensure that the vision we share today turns into the reality of tomorrow,” said Kükedi.
Insights from the speakers demonstrated the importance of including local voices in policy decisions regarding waste management implementation. As we reflect on these critical discussions, one thing is certain; closing the gap in waste legislation enforcement will require commitment, cooperation, and bold action from cities. This is an opportunity that cannot be wasted.
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On 4 February, key players in Europe’s waste management and recycling sectors gathered in Brussels for an all-day summit aimed at tackling a critical issue: the gap between EU waste legislation and real-world implementation.
