RREUSE - Reusing and Recycling European Union Social Enterprises

We welcome the European Commission's recognition of the circular economy as a driver of resilience and competitiveness in the EU. However, we are deeply concerned by the lack of ambition to promote waste prevention and reuse. The CEA call for evidence reveals a narrow vision of circularity, limited mainly to recycling and waste management.

Social enterprises active in reuse, repair, and recycling are key partners for contracting authorities as they contribute to local and socially inclusive green employment through their circular economy waste management activities. Reusing can carry a high job creation potential, higher than recycling, and significantly lowers the environmental impact of items.

Social enterprises in the circular economy contribute significantly to local job creation, resource efficiency, and climate goals, yet remain largely excluded from public procurement opportunities under the current EU framework.

RREUSE takes the opportunity of the Commissions Call for Feedback on the 8th Omnibus Package to reiterate its firm opposition to the Commissions proposal. Our feedback focuses on the revision of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) requirements. First, the absence of a thorough impact assessment is worrying.

Reuse, repair, and recycling social enterprises of the RREUSE wider network are unique training providers that leverage their circular operations as vehicles for training and job opportunities, especially for labour market underrepresented groups.

RREUSE, the European network of social enterprises active in repair, re-use and recycling, welcomes the intention to review the Textiles Labelling Regulation as an opportunity to ease textile waste management and extend textile products lifetime. Improving rules on fibre composition determination and providing more reliable information to sorters will facilitate the sorting process.

The European Social Fund+ is a key funding instrument for re-use and repair social enterprises in Europe. On the ground, it supports the RREUSE networks social enterprises in their missions of combating poverty and promoting social inclusion, employment and skills development in the circular economy. Thanks to ESF+, social enterprises like R.U.S.Z.

The European Social Fund has been an invaluable tool to guarantee social economy enterprises work for inclusive jobs and training in the circular economy. RREUSE members who were ESF beneficiaries for the 2014-2020 period (e.g.