European Environment Agency, Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.

The circular economy is now a widely accepted concept. It goes beyond just managing waste: it is more about keeping the value of materials high and making them last longer in their intended use. It also seeks to design unnecessary material use out of the economy. This requires new business models and a more decisive transition from ownership models to service-based solutions. A comprehensive set of new circularity policies has been introduced at EU level and there is evidence of increased circular activities in EU Member States.

European Environment Agency, Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.

This report undertakes an integrated assessment of the buildings system and proposes a holistic approach to the relevant environmental and climate issues. It explores the future of a sustainable buildings system, key drivers for change and potential responses. The aim is to support policies that promote climate mitigation, preservation and restoration of biodiversity, and a circular economy. The concept of a buildings system encompasses all elements of and activities related to the production, construction, use, renovation and decommissioning of buildings, as well as their associated socio-economic and environmental impacts. It does not include other construction works and complementary systems not primarily designed to accommodate human activities.

European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Publications Office of the European Union, 2023.

To develop renewable energy, digital, space and defence technologies, the European Union (EU) needs access to critical raw materials of which a large share is currently imported from third countries. To mitigate the risk of supply disruptions, the Critical Raw Materials Act proposes to diversify sources of imports, while increasing domestic extraction, processing, and recycling.

European Court of Auditors, Publications Office of the European Union, 2023.

A circular economy preserves the value of products, materials and resources and minimises waste. A product’s design determines around 80 % of its environmental impact. We found only limited evidence that the Commission’s two Circular Economy Action Plans, in particular in terms of the circular design of products and of production processes, had been effective in influencing circular economy activities in the EU.

European European Commission, Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.

This brochure highlights solutions for sustainable and circular water management. It features examples of innovative projects that tackle water-related challenges by efficiently saving, recycling, and reusing water sources for on-farm use, through innovation, collaboration and knowledge exchange.

Directorate-General for Internal Policies of the Union, European Parliament, 2023.

The original full study presents information on the role of e-commerce in implementing the European Green Deal. In particular, the report analyses how companies can uphold high consumer protection standards with online sales in the internal market using digitalisation; explore the potential of new sustainability standards in the context of the upcoming revision of the packaging directive; investigate the environmental footprint of e-commerce including how it is calculated, and how the footprint can be reduced assess the role e-commerce plays, or could play, in implementing the EU Green Deal’s goals; and analyse the link between e-commerce and the single market’s circular economy.

European Investment Bank, 2023.

The EIB Circular Economy Guide highlights the need and rationale for a circular economy transition, with the aim of inspiring circular change. The guide presents how the EIB supports the circular economy through financing, advisory and awareness raising. It is regularly updated in response to our evolving understanding of circular economy needs and opportunities, reflecting changes in the policy framework.

European Environment Agency, Publications Office of the European Union, 2023.

Textiles are on average the fourth-highest source of pressure on the environment and climate change from a European consumption perspective, as shown in previous EEA briefings. Europe faces major challenges managing used textiles, including textiles waste.

Katalin Tóth, Szvetlana Ács, Karin Aschberger, Giulia Barbero Vignola, Stephanie Bopp, et al., European Commission, Joint Research Centre, 2025.

The Joint Research Centre (JRC) the European Commission service providing evidence-based science and knowledge to support EU policies has set up its first monitoring framework to provide information on progress towards a fair, healthy and environmentally friendly food system, built on a set of environmental, economic and social (including health) indicators. More than 350 indicators on underpinning policies were screened and their suitability assessed for the intended objective. The selected indicators have been visualised in a monitoring dashboard, an information system and a communication tool created by the JRC. This report summarises the main steps taken to develop the system, the principles governing the selection of the indicators and plans for further work.

European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Radovanovic, N. and Stevanovic Carapina, H., Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.

The Western Balkan region is in an advanced stage of the Smart Specialisation design process, with several economies deeply involved in its implementation. The commitment of these economies to adopt an EU-style, transformational innovation policy reflects a dedication to evidence-based and bottom-up innovation policymaking. This approach aims to enhance regional competitiveness sustainably. The EU Green Deal and the associated Green Agenda for the Western Balkans represent templates for transformative change that should underpin innovation policies.

European Commission: European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency, Hausemer, P., Gorman, N., Squillante, F., Spūle, S. et al., Publications Office of the European Union, 2024.

The general objective of this study is to assess the socio-economic weight of the “Proximity Economy” as an industrial ecosystem and its contribution as a sustainable, innovative, and resilient ecosystem. More specifically, the objective is to define the concept of proximity, assess how it adds value and analyse how it impacts various sectors. Further, it is to develop an understanding of how the concept is implemented across the EU and define how it could be measured. Finally, it is to position the findings of the study within the context of wider EU policies and global challenges.