We are delighted to invite you to a hybrid event which will be held on Wednesday, 9th of April at 17.00.
The event will consist of an afternoon of discussion on the end-of-life management and new vehicles design rules as a performance test for the EU circular economy model. This event will also be a timely opportunity to discuss the challenges ahead in enhancing the competitiveness of an innovative and resource-efficient European economy.
Speakers and further details will be announced in the coming days, however, we are publishing this event now to ensure you save the date.
This event is public and will be held both onsite and online.
This event is kindly supported by
About the debate
In 2024, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, indicated that the EU should go beyond action plans on circular economy and introduce specific legislation. Accordingly, the political guidelines for the new legislative mandate include a proposal for a Circular Economy Act, which is expected to be elaborated during 2025 and presented in 2026.
In addition, at the end of the last mandate, the European Commission presented a proposal for a regulation covering the entire life cycle of vehicles, from design to disposal, with the aim of improving the sustainability of the automotive sector. The proposed regulation aims to introduce circularity requirements for the design and manufacturing of vehicles, focusing on reusability, recyclability, recoverability and the incorporation of recycled materials. The proposal also laid down rules on the labelling and provision of information on vehicle components and materials, as well as measures on extended producer responsibility, the collection and treatment of end-of-life vehicles and the export of used vehicles from the EU to third countries.
The automotive sector in the EU is notably resource-intensive and, consequently, highly relevant for the development of a Europe-wide circular economy model. With 286 million motor vehicles on Europe’s roads, around 6.5 million are scrapped every year. If not properly managed, the failure to apply circular economy principles to this sector could result in both environmental and economic damage, as the EU could lose millions of tonnes of valuable materials. In fact, as the automotive industry moves towards zero-emission mobility and vehicles incorporate more electronics, there will be a growing demand for critical raw materials, with the automotive sector being one of the largest consumers. The auto industry is also using more advanced, lightweight materials such as composite plastics, high-grade steel and aluminium alloys.
The proposed legislation on end-of-life management and new vehicles design can be regarded as a performance test for the EU circular economy model. It is also evident that the new proposal is confronted with numerous challenges. For instance, although functioning and self-sustaining markets for vehicle recycling have been established within the EU, the recycling of vehicles is not always effectively carried out, with estimates suggesting that a significant proportion of vehicles’ components are not being recycled. Another illustrative issue pertains to the quality of secondary materials produced by the recycling industry from automotive waste that often lacks suitability for further use in automotive applications, a phenomenon that is further compounded by the evolving legislative landscape concerning chemical usage.
The overarching challenge lies in formulating policies that foster transparency and optimisation in vehicle recycling processes without compromising market-based structures. Concurrently, these policies should aim to enhance materials’ circularity. Indeed, the circular economy principles should contribute not only to raw material resilience, resource conservation and emission reduction, but also to Europe’s economic competitiveness.
This is a public event, hence the Chatham House Rule will not apply.
The event will start at 17.00 both onsite and online, while the onsite welcoming will begin at 16.30. The discussion will last around an hour and a half.
Due to a limited number of seats, please await final confirmation from us after registration, if you wish to attend this event in person.
The audience will be able to ask questions both in person and through sli.do #CircularEconomy
We look forward to hosting you on the 9th of April of 2025.
