Better e-waste collection, stronger recycling markets and a coherent regulatory framework will be essential if Europe is to strengthen its supply of critical raw materials
As the European Commission prepares the upcoming Circular Economy Act, policymakers and industry leaders are increasingly looking beyond waste management towards the broader challenge of Europe’s industrial competitiveness and strategic resilience.
At a Euractiv event organised in partnership with the International Copper Association (ICA), representatives from the Commission, industry and civil society discussed how the forthcoming legislation could help recover more valuable materials from electronic waste while strengthening Europe’s circular value chains for critical raw materials.
Around 14.4 million tonnes of electrical and electronic equipment were placed on the EU market in 2022, while Member States collected 5 million tonnes of such waste, equivalent to 11.2 kilograms per person. Much of it contains valuable metals that can be recovered and reintroduced into European supply chains.
E-waste as a strategic resource
