On 20 August 2015, both CEMBUREAU (the European cement association) and the European Concrete Platform (ECP) responded to the Euroepan Commissions public consultation on the circular economy.

On 16 April 2015, the European public broadcaster viEUws debated the issue of the Circular Economy with European Commission DG Environment Director General Karl Falkenberg. During the debate, entitled ‘How can Europe capitalise on the circular economy’, Mr Falkenberg confirmed that work on the coming circular economy package is underway. 

On 18 January 2016, the European Environment Agency (EEA) published a report entitled “Circular economy in Europe - Developing the knowledge base”.   According to the authors, fundamental changes throughout the value chain (from product design and production processes to new business models and consumption patterns) are required in order to create a circular economy. In this respect, recycling will turn waste into a resource and extending product lifetimes will help preserve natural resources.

On 19 November 2015, The Concrete Initiative held its first annual event, Concrete Dialogue 2015, entitled: Citizens at the heart of the sustainably-built environment.  This event brought together Members of the European Parliament, European Commission and civil society for a concrete dialogue roundtable to debate issues of relevance to sustainable construction. Furthermore, a new study on the multiplier effect of investment in concrete, as well as a JRC study on sustainability in construction were presented, providing new insights to further stimulate the discussion.

On 28 May 2015, the European Commission launched a public consultation on the circular economy, ahead of its new circular economy package due at the end of this year.

Unable to join the Circular Economy conference on 5 March?  No worries - Here you will find a series of highlights of the key points raised!

On 5 March 2015, The Concrete Initiative had the opportunity of participating in a panel debate on the hot topic of the Circular Economy.  As readers are aware, a Circular Economy package was launched in the summer of 2014.  However, with a new Commission comes a new perspective, resulting in the scrapping of the existing package infavour of a new, much broader initiative due by the end of this year.