“One Europe, One Market”: Enrico Letta links the future Circular Economy Act to EU competitiveness, strategic autonomy and the completion of the Single Market
The message coming from Brussels is becoming increasingly clear: the circular economy is no longer being discussed only as an environmental ambition, but as a strategic priority for Europe’s future industrial competitiveness, resilience and autonomy.
This was one of the strongest takeaways from the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform (ECESP) Conference held on 22 April 2026 at the European Commission, where policymakers, industry leaders, financial actors and researchers gathered to discuss the future Circular Economy Act (CEA) and the role of circularity within the Single Market.
A recurring theme throughout the conference was the growing urgency to reduce Europe’s dependency on external resources and strengthen strategic autonomy in a rapidly changing geopolitical context. Opening the discussion, Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, Jessika Roswall, stressed that the future Circular Economy Act, expected in Autumn 2026, must move beyond policy declarations and focus on practical implementation, market creation and business growth. The objective is not only to improve recycling, but to create a real European market for secondary raw materials capable of supporting strategic sectors such as steel, plastics and textiles. The need to create demand for circular products and ensure secure feedstock for recyclers within the EU market was also strongly underlined.
In this context, the link between circular economy and the European Single Market emerged as a crucial element. A key strategic perspective was provided by Enrico Letta, who framed the circular economy as one of the pillars of the future Single Market. He stressed the need for simplification of rules, a shift from directives to regulations, and faster implementation, as well as stronger financial integration and private investment. His vision of “One Europe, One Market”, the new policy paper launched by Jacques Delors Friends of Europe Foundation, highlights the importance of completing the Single Market by strengthening energy, connectivity and financial systems.
This vision was reinforced by Seamus Bolan (EESC President), who underlined the importance of strong partnerships across stakeholders, including industry, public authorities, research organisations and consumers. He stressed that the circular economy must be a concrete choice for both sustainability and competitiveness, calling for action “for Europe, not only for the planet”, with a focus on self-sufficiency and systemic change.
From a policy perspective, Eric Mamer (DG ENV) pointed out major regulatory barriers, particularly the lack of harmonisation of End-of-Waste criteria across Member States, which currently limits the development of a true EU market for secondary raw materials. Ensuring secure and stable feedstock and keeping materials within Europe are essential priorities, which the forthcoming Circular Economy Act is expected to support.
The industrial perspective added another important dimension to the discussion. Eivind Kallevik (Hydro CEO) underlined that improving transparency of material flows is critical, especially for strategic materials such as aluminium, underlining its importance for EU energy security and competitiveness, while also pointing out regulatory barriers to cross-border movement of secondary materials. Similarly, the role of remanufacturing and repair was presented as essential to move beyond a recycling-only approach. David Fitzsimons (European Remanufacturing Council) highlighted the importance of recognising remanufactured products as equivalent to new products in terms of quality and reliability, opening the door to entirely new circular business models. Valère Moutarlier (DG GROW) emphasised the need to move from policy to delivery of concrete results, focusing on industrial-scale solutions, business cases and customer-driven markets, ensuring that circular products are competitive in price and quality.
International perspectives highlighted also the importance of global alignment and cooperation to scale circular economy solutions.
Finance also emerged as a critical challenge. Claudia Fusco (DG ENV) noted the existence of a significant investment gap, despite growing awareness (with around 80% of CEOs recognising the importance of circular investments). However, market and regulatory failures still limit financing, making it essential to build a functioning market for secondary raw materials and mobilise both public and private investments. The Financial actors emphasised that developing robust circular business models is essential.
Another particularly interesting part of the conference was the youth session dedicated to the future Circular Economy Act. Here, the discussion moved beyond recycling towards broader systemic questions: resource efficiency, product longevity, reparability, traceability and new consumption models. The message from younger stakeholders was ambitious but pragmatic: circular economy should not simply optimise waste management, but rethink how value is created, retained and shared across society.
Overall, the discussions highlighted a clear transition: from strategic vision to the urgent need for implementation. The success of the Circular Economy Act will depend not only on policy ambition, but on how effectively markets, businesses, and investment frameworks evolve to support it.
Enrico Letta, Dean of IE University and President of the Jacques Delors Institute
The panel of the session on Embedding circular economy principles in the Single Market: if not now, when? The role of the forthcoming Circular Economy Act
