Recommendations for a resource efficient Europe adopted by EREP

17 June 2013 The European Resource Efficiency Platform (EREP) which objective is to provide a high-level guidance to the European Commission, Members States and private actors on the transition to a more resource-efficient economy, have adopted the Recommendations for a resource efficient Europe.

The Platform's high-level members (including European Commissioner Potocnik, Vice-President Tajani, Commissioners Hedegaard, Šemeta and Rehn, members of the European Parliament (MEPs), ministers, business CEOs, academia and representatives of NGOs and civil society) have concluded that, as a way to improve resource efficiency in business-to business relations, a strong emphasis needs to be put on industrial symbiosis since its networks have been and will prove successful not only in diverting waste from landfill, but also in contributing to the preservation of resources and moving waste up the value chain. The industrial symbiosis networks have also been recognized as accelerators of innovation and creation of green jobs therefore EREP suggests that the EU and Member States should encourage and promote industrial symbiosis initiatives.

This recommendation well aligns with the ambitions and objectives of the SPIRE PPP which is driven by and brings together at least 8 sectors within the European process industry in a value chain approach. The multi-sectorial / industrial symbiosis aspects are a unique feature of SPIRE amongst the various innovation instruments that have been recently set-up in the framework of the European Innovation Union. Being the roots of the European economy, the eight sectors engaged in this PPP will work on innovative technologies to make industrial symbiosis happen as well as on innovative business models not only between the process industry sectors but also along their respective value chains. These approaches could actually constitute the European competitive advantage that would unleash our innovation potential and ultimately lead to the expected growth and jobs.

The SPIRE PPP proposal aims at reducing non-renewable, primary raw material intensity by up to 20% as well as reducing fossil energy intensity by up to 30% from current levels with the intention to reach a sustainable circular economy.

For more about EREP, see here.