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European Commission - Speech [Check Against Delivery] Commissioner Roswall's Opening Address at the Annual Conference of the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform Brussels, 22 April 2026 Ladies and gentlemen, It is a pleasure to open this annual conference of the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform. This conference brings together a remarkable community: people from industry, public authorities, a...
European Commission - Speech [Check Against Delivery] Commissioner Roswall's Opening Address at the Annual Conference of the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform Brussels, 22 April 2026 Ladies and gentlemen, It is a pleasure to open this annual conference of the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform. This conference brings together a remarkable community: people from industry, public authorities, academia, civil society and local communities who are shaping Europe's circular transition. Let me begin by thanking you for your work, for your commitment to this Platform, and for your role in turning ambition into action. Because that is what Europe now needs most: delivery. We are meeting at a time of deep geopolitical and economic instability. War on our continent and in the Middle East, disruption to trade routes, and renewed volatility in energy markets are exposing the fragility of business models built on cheap, abundant and easily accessible inputs. The latest oil shock linked to the war in the Middle East is a reminder of how quickly geopolitical conflict can spill over into our economy. And when that happens, the effects are immediate. Energy prices rise. Production costs increase. Pressure on households and businesses intensifies. And Europe is reminded once again that dependence comes with a cost. This is why the circular economy matters so much. Not only because it helps us reduce waste. But because it helps us reduce vulnerability. It helps us use materials more efficiently. And it helps us build a stronger economic base here in Europe. Ladies and gentlemen, In the past, the circularity discussion focused mainly on waste management. Today the agenda is broader and more strategic. It starts with design. It continues with production and consumption. And it extends all the way to repair, reuse, remanufacturing, resource recovery and recycling. In other words, circularity is about how we organise value. This is why legislation such as the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation is so important. If a product is badly designed, it is harder to repair, harder to reuse, harder to recycle, and harder to keep in use. If it is well designed, the opposite is true. So, if we want circular outcomes, we need to build them in from the start. Despite our efforts, and despite some progress, the European economy is still far too linear. Only around 12% of the materials used in the European economy come from recycled sources. Why? Because the economics are often misaligned. Secondary raw materials do not always compete on equal terms with virgin materials. Quality, availability and predictability are not always there. And investment decisions are still held back by fragmentation, uncertainty and weak market signals. Public policy has a clear role here. Our task is not to replace the market. It is to make sure the market rewards the outcomes we want. And to make circularity a credible business proposition, not just a policy aspiration. That is why the Circular Economy Act later this year will be so important. Its purpose must be practical. To strengthen the Single Market for secondary raw materials. To address bottlenecks on the supply and demand side. To improve framework conditions for investment. And to make it easier for circular business models to grow. Because today, too many businesses still face a basic problem: they can invest in circular solutions, but they cannot always rely on a market that is stable, integrated and large enough to support them. That must change. If we want companies to invest in recycling capacity, in reused materials, in repair services or in circular product design, then we need better market conditions. So the Circular Economy Act is not only about environmental performance. It is also about market-building. The current geopolitical context also forces us to look more clearly at the link between circularity, energy and industrial resilience. When oil and gas markets are shaken by conflict, Europe needs more than short-term crisis management. We also need structural ways to reduce exposure. One of those ways is to make better use of domestic resources that are currently underused or discarded. That includes organic waste, sewage sludge and manure. These streams can contribute to biogas and biomethane production. They can reduce methane emissions. The same applies to the bioeconomy, which is closely linked to circularity. Both are about reducing dependence on virgin fossil inputs. Both are about using resources more intelligently. And both can help Europe become more resilient and more innovative. This is why the Bioeconomy Strategy, and the upcoming Biotech Act II, are hugely important in this broader picture. Of course, systemic change only becomes real when it reaches key sectors. What does this look like in practice? Take steel. A more circular steel economy means better use of scrap, stronger markets for recycled content, and the right incentives for cleaner and more resource-efficient production pathways. Take plastics. If we want recycled and bio-based alternatives to scale, we need stronger demand signals and a more predictable investment environment. Take textiles. We need to address waste, overconsumption and the heavy reliance on fossil-based synthetic fibres. Ladies and gentlemen, The transition will not be delivered by legislation alone. It depends on collaboration. Between policymakers and businesses. Between scientists and practitioners. Between innovators, investors and public authorities. Across sectors and value chains. That is why this conference is so important. It creates the space to identify what works, what does not, and where further action is needed. It allows us to hear directly from those working on the ground. It helps connect policy ambition with practical experience. It reminds us that Europe already has a great deal of expertise, creativity and commitment to build on. And, crucially, it ensures that youth have a seat at the table and a voice in the future. Ladies and gentlemen, The theme of this year's conference is very well chosen: A Competitive and Fair Circular Europe: The ambition at the heart of the Single Market. Europe needs a circular economy that is not only environmentally sound, but economically credible. Not only innovative, but scalable. Not only ambitious on paper, but effective in practice. That is what circularity can help deliver. But only if we now move from broad support to implementation. Only if we remove barriers. Only if we strengthen the business case. And only if we build a genuine Single Market for circular solutions. That is the task ahead. I wish you an excellent conference. And I look forward to working with you to turn this agenda into real progress for Europe. Thank you very much. SPEECH/26/859
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