“Europe must strive for a circular economy”

The European Commission must strive to switch to a circular economy next year. This is what 27 European organisations, including the Repair Café Foundation, wrote in an open letter to the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker.

The organisations are highly concerned about signs that the subject of circular economy, including concrete plans that have already been made about it, is likely to be removed from the European agenda for the year 2015. In their letter, they point out that the planned measures offer great opportunities for green jobs, resource security, environmental protection and economic growth.

Exceptionally difficult
“If the set of measures for this is indeed withdrawn from the Work Programme of the Commission for 2015, then we strongly condemn that,” the 27 organisations write.

For the Repair Café Foundation there is no doubt that constructing a circular economy must be given top priority in Brussels. “Policymakers must explicitly choose it and work towards it,” says director Martine Postma. “As long as they don’t, it makes it exceptionally difficult for us to achieve our goals.”

Easily repairable products
The Repair Café Foundation wants to make repairs a completely normal activity in local communities. Postma: “To achieve this, products must be marketed that are more easily repairable. But first, the choice for a circular economy has to be made.”