Protecting the EU Recycled Materials Market Harld Peters - CEO Renewi: “The European recycled materials market is under pressure from cheap primary raw materials that do not have to meet the same environmental standards. Without intervention, we risk losing our circular advantage. We need to decouple the markets for primary and secondary raw materials. Fair competition requires, for example, a tax on primary raw materials and substantial investment in European recycling capacity.”

Mandatory Recycled Content Harld Peters - CEO Renewi: “Without a mandatory share of recycled material in new products, the circular economy will remain just fine words. We advocate for robust European targets for recycled material across all sectors, and for the standard inclusion of circular criteria in public procurement. This will create direct demand and stimulate innovation among producers to work with recycled materials.”

Level Playing Field: EU Policy vs National Policy Harld Peters - CEO Renewi: “National fiscal measures without European coordination are counterproductive. They lead to the shifting of waste streams across borders, increase costs for progressive recyclers and threaten our circular infrastructure. We call for European harmonisation of taxes and rules – based on facts – so that frontrunners are not penalised but rewarded for their circular efforts.”

Circular Future Vision (role of the waste and recycling sector) Harld Peters - CEO Renewi: “Our sector is essential, not only for raw materials but also for energy supply, nutrient cycles and public health. Europe must choose: do we remain dependent on cheap, polluting raw materials from outside, or do we build a strong, circular economy that makes maximum use of our own materials? The time to act is now.”