Green Mayor

Circularity and sustainability must be integrated into all stages of the value chain to achieve a fully circular economy: from design to production, up to the consumer. The European Commission's action plan has established seven key areas, essential for achieving a circular economy. These  are::

- Plastic
- Textile
- ICT
- Food & Water
- Packing
- Batteries and Vehicles
- Buildings and Constructions

To date, among the most circular sectors, we find:

- Agri-Food, subjects within the agri-food chain that impact circularity through the reduction of food waste and the reduction and identification of alternative packaging;
- Construction, subjects within the construction and demolition chain that generate circularity through the recovery of materials;
- Textiles, subjects within the textile-clothing chain which, through the facilitation of recycling and reuse, promote the circular economy; 
- GDO and GDS, subjects within the distribution chains and in the management and/or production of packaging that allow for a greater green impact through the reduction of plastic waste and the replacement of this material for the creation of packaging for trade. 

In line with the EU's goal of climate neutrality by 2050 under the Green Deal, in March 2020 the European Commission proposed a new action plan for the circular economy. This plan focuses on waste prevention and optimal waste management, and also promotes the EU's growth, competitiveness and global leadership in the sector.

The transition to sustainable products

To achieve a European market for sustainable, climate-neutral and resource-efficient products, the Commission has proposed an extension of the Directive to include non-energy-related products into the environmentally friendly project. The new rules enter into force by 2021.

Deputies of the commission also approved initiatives to fight planned obsolescence, improve the life and repairability of products and strengthen consumer rights with the "right to repair". Furthermore, the importance of consumers' right to be correctly informed about the environmental impact of the products and services they buy was underlined and the Commission was requested to prepare proposals to fight the unfair practice of "greenwashing" (i.e. the false sustainability policy of a company).

The main drivers that allow the growth and improvement of Circular Economy practices are: 

The Technological Lever

Technology is becoming a key factor in the transition to a circular economy. Advances in artificial intelligence (AI), digital platforms and cloud-based solutions have largely eliminated the need for physical resources, helping to dematerialise entire supply chains. The continued penetration of digital into production and logistics improves the traceability of resource and product flows and can help optimise the use of products throughout their life, including through predictive maintenance solutions. Increased visibility not only promotes better control over potential waste creation, but also creates greater accountability for companies along the supply chain. At the same time, advances in new chemicals and new catalysts make it possible to produce materials of biological origin that can replace fossil alternatives.

The Political Lever

There are other levers to promote structural change and they have begun to emerge forcefully. The first is the political one. At the end of April 2021, the European Parliament definitively approved the agreement with the EU member countries on Life, the climate and environmental program which provides for the investment of 5.4 billion euros in projects for the transition to a green, circular, energy-efficient and low-emissions economy, as well as to protect and improve the quality of the environment and reverse biodiversity loss.