Closing the loop: A circular economy for

Europe

Paola BELLABONA

Agregada
Instrumentos Política Exterior

Delegación de la Unión Europea en

México
Towards circular economy
Maintaining the value of products,
materials and resources in the
economy for as long as possible

Minimising waste generation

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Boosting our competitiveness with

new business opportunities and
innovative products and services

Bringing economic, social and

environmental gains

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 Circular Economy Package
2 December 2015

Action Plan List of Initiatives 4 Legislative

Communication proposals on Waste

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4 Key areas of action 5 Priority sectors

Construction
& Demolition

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Plastics Strategy

All plastic packaging will be reusable or recyclable

(by 2030)

Boost the market for recycled plastics

Actions on single-use plastics and microplastics

Strategic Research Innovation Agenda for Plastics

(2018)

Support to multilateral initiatives on plastics

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Implementation: Ingredients of success

 Business case

 Comprehensive approach

 Involving stakeholders - Critical mass

 On top of the political agenda

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Stakeholders' engagement

• Advancing the circular economy concept on the ground

• Strengthening cooperation among stakeholders' networks

representatives of networks of businesses, civil society and

local, regional and national public authorities

Submit your own good practices, knowledge,

strategies and voluntary commitments!

Link to website: http://circulareconomy.europa.eu/platform/

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 Financing
the circular transition

• Horizon 2020 (2018-2020) Focus area

"Connecting economic and environmental gains - the
Circular Economy": € 941 million

• European Structural and Investment Funds,

implementing Cohesion Policy

• European Fund for Strategic Investments

(EFSI), focusing more on investments to meet the
Paris Agreement targets and help the transition to a
circular and low carbon economy

• LIFE programme

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 Circular Economy Missions
to Partner Countries

• Increase cooperation between EU and partner countries in the field of

environmental policy
• Better understanding of the environmental challenges faced by partner
countries
• promote green solutions through business partnerships abroad
(matchmaking events between European and local entrepreneurs, exchange
of views with targeted audiences)

• 2016 (Chile, China)

• 2017 (South Africa, Colombia)
• 2018 (India, Japan, Indonesia)
• 2019 (Mexico, Singapore, Malaysia)
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 Circular Economy Missions
in Mexico (24-26 April 2019)
• 256 attendants EU and Mexican participated during the 3-day mission:
 167 representatives from Mexican companies
 56 European companies
 19 European and multilateral entities
 and 11 Mexican Public entities

• There was a total of 227 B2B meetings

• We presented a study " Market opportunities on CE in Mexico”, which
analysed three main sectors (available at bit.ly/2YYalxL)
 waste management
 wastewater treatment
 waste to energy

• Field visits

 Note: It was organised back to back to the 8th EU-MX High level dialogue on
Environment
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 Low Carbon Business Action Mexico

GENERAL OBJECTIVE

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE

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Low Carbon Business Action Mexico

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 THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

Learn more about the Circular Economy:

• http://ec.europa.eu/environment/circular-
economy/index_en.htm