On 20 April, the European Non-Energy Extractive Industries (NEEIP) organised the 2016 Forum on the circular economy. The goal was to highlight what the industry has already achieved and what still remains to be done to obtain a circular economy that best serves society.
Renaud Batier, Cerame-Unie Director General, opened the event stressing that a circular economy needs primary and secondary raw materials. He pointed out that a lead resource efficiency indicator should not be imposed in the context of a circular economy and highlighted the need to further develop markets for secondary raw materials (full speech).
Speakers from the European Commission confirmed the continued importance of primary raw materials. Mr Schally confirmed that DG ENVI took stakeholders’ comments into account on the resource efficiency target. However, the Commission will still use the lead indicator to monitor the implementation of the circular economy at national level.
The NEEIP Forum is the annual event with high level representatives from the European Commission, European Parliament and other relevant EU institutions addressing topical policies currently under debate.
