A broad coalition of circular economy stakeholders, led by waste-sorting technology provider TOMRA, called on the European Commission to integrate provisions that support circularity measures under the draft Clean Industrial State Aid Framework (CISAF). Despite being recognized as one of the four pillars of the Clean Industrial Deal, circularity is notably absent from the CISAF’s core provisions.
Bilyana Ignatova, vice president of EU Public Affairs at TOMRA, warns, “The ambition of the Clean Industrial Deal can only be delivered if the accompanying state aid framework backs all pillars, circularity included, with equal policy attention and financial support.”
The Clean Industrial Deal (CID) recognizes that: “Circularity will be a priority. It is the key to maximizing the EU’s limited resources, reducing dependencies and enhancing resilience. It reduces waste, lowers production costs, lowers CO2 emissions and creates a more sustainable industrial model that benefits the environment and enhances economic competitiveness. The ambition of the Clean Industrial Deal is to make the EU the world leader on circular economy by 2030.”
The coalition of resource management leaders believes that this ambition cannot be realized without appropriate financial mechanisms in place to scale up circular infrastructure. As such, it expresses deep concern that circularity projects are not explicitly mentioned in the draft CISAF. By embedding circularity at the heart of its decarbonization strategy, the EU will not only improve the affordability and accessibility of essential materials but also reduce cross-border trade dependencies as materials are reused, remanufactured, recycled and kept within the economy for longer.
Enabling state aid for projects that drive material circularity will make Europe’s industrial production more sustainable, accelerate decarbonization and improve resource security. Having clear provisions to support circularity under the Clean Industrial Deal is essential to meet the objective of increasing material circularity by 24 percent by 2030, ensuring that resources remain in circulation as long as possible.
As Europe works towards greater strategic autonomy in a resource-constrained world, it is crucial that all pillars of the CID receive equal policy and financial backing.
Published June 2025