The European circular economy package –what the experts think

The European commission put bold plans to scrap waste on hold last year, but is preparing to present a new and improved proposal

In December last year, the European commission stepped back from its circular economy package, which had included a ban on sending recyclable materials to landfill by 2025 and a target for EU states to recycle 70% of municipal waste by 2030.

While Friends of the Earth condemned the commission's decision, it was an outcome that the lobby group BusinessEurope had hoped for, arguing that the package would inhibit the competitiveness of European businesses.