EU seeks to engage public in promoting circular economy

 

The consultation is relevant for the general public, given their vital role in purchasing, using or consuming and discarding products.

 

“Would you pay more for products if you knew they are more sustainable?” asks the European Commission in a tweet.

 

And it adds: “What to do you think of second-hand shopping? Answer this online survey to facilitate the EU transition to a circular economy.”

 

It then invites members of the public to take part in an online survey designed to give EU citizens a say.

 

The consultation aims to better understand the grounds on which they take decisions relating to products.

 

EU policies affect the products on the EU market in many different ways. As such, all citizens, businesses and other stakeholders are affected by these policies in one way or another.

 

Citizens, in their role as consumers buy, use and discard products. Businesses and industries are involved in all life-cycle phases including design, manufacturing, importing/exporting, purchasing, consumption and recycling / waste handling at the end of product the lifetime. They all take decisions related to products based on certain perceptions, under the influence of incentives and limitations set in (amongst others) EU policies.

 

It is therefore vital to obtain views from a wide range of stakeholders on these perceptions and incentives, in particular those relating to EU product policies. This will help identify in how far the current EU product policy framework is supportive to a circular economy and what potential there is for increasing this contribution.

 

You can contribute to this consultation by filling in the online questionnaire. If you are unable to use the online questionnaire.

 

For reasons of transparency, organisations and businesses taking part in public consultations are asked to register in the EU’s Transparency Register.