CHINA: China and Europe agreed on the development of the circular economy

The recently presented plan outlines the joint efforts of the EU and China to implement the Memorandum of Understanding between the union and the world’s most populous country on the circular economy.

With a focus on plastics, battery value chains and remanufacturing, the roadmap outlines specific actions to be taken, including ongoing negotiations for a global plastics treaty.

The roadmap, whose implementation is planned for 2024, will be reviewed at the upcoming dialogue on the circular economy.

Virginius Sinkevičius, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, emphasized the global importance of the transition to a circular economy. He pointed out the role of the road map in achieving progress in the field of sustainable development and in promoting new opportunities for production and consumption.

At the World Circular Economy Forum, Florica Fink-Heuer, Director-General of Environment, met with Zhao Chenxing, Vice-Chairman of China’s National Development and Reform Commission, to explore the prospects for circular economy cooperation. During their meeting, they reached a consensus on the implementation of the roadmap.

An introductory workshop on moving towards a circular economy for plastics is currently planned in the EU and China, scheduled for May 2024.

Various aspects will be discussed at this meeting, including design approaches, single-use plastics measures and advances in bio-based materials.

Follow-up workshops on battery value chains and remanufacturing are planned for later in 2024.

Against the backdrop of the pressing challenges of biodiversity loss, climate change and environmental pollution, China and the EU recognize the need to promote sustainable development pathways. The circular economy is a key strategy for achieving a zero-carbon economy by 2050, mitigating biodiversity loss and fighting pollution.

The two entities reaffirmed their commitment to cooperation during the inaugural High Level Political Dialogue on the Circular Economy. This commitment extends to the extension of Memorandum of Understanding for five years and jointly develop a Circular Economy Roadmap to guide joint efforts.

1 November 2024

FINTECH: Coinbase Wants to Turn Every FinTech Into a Crypto Company

There are a handful of publicly listed cryptocurrency companies in the United States. These firms tend to serve as a good barometer of the state of the digital asset industry, at least domestically.

Read More
31 January 2025

US: Trump escalates EU-US tax wars

he United States and Europe have long disagreed over tax rules affecting trade and investment. Battles between the 1960s and 1990s centered on the taxation of merchandise exports. Between the 2010s

Read More
3 January 2025

US: Beneficial Ownership Reporting on Indefinite Hold

What it means: New nationwide beneficial ownership information (BOI) reporting requirements are on hold while the court considers NFIB’s lawsuit challenging the law. Most small businesses are not

Read More
4 July 2025

CLIMATE FINANCE: Eight-country coalition aims to tax luxury air travel

The coalition, which also brings together Somalia, Benin, Sierra Leone and Antigua and Barbuda, said it would work to increase the number of countries taxing plane tickets, including business-class

Read More