The European Union has embarked on the path to becoming a more circular economy, in which waste is minimised and the value of materials, products and resources is maintained in the economic cycle for as long as possible. This is necessary both in the interest of economic and ecological sustainability, as it will help to reduce the resource and carbon footprint of the EU's economy, it will reduce its dependency on harmful, expensive or unreliable sources of raw materials and it will foster innovation, job-creation and competitiveness. To be able to reap these benefits, a fundamental and profound transformation of many aspects of current economic life and consumer habits is necessary, which will have far-reaching social consequences that will be felt very differently across different regions of the EU.

The PES Group in the Committee of the Regions has organised its yearly extraordinary meeting on Circular Economy, in Terni, Italy, on 5 September. The conference focused on the opportunities and challenges of the transition to a circular economy, which is one of the key projects for the coming years, as outlined in the European Commission's "Action Plan for the Circular Economy", published in February 2016.

The conference was  followed by a lunch and a study‑visit at the steel plant Acciai Speciali Terni. 

In the evening, a citizens' debate on "​Steel: Preserving sustainable jobs and growth in Europe" was organised.

Visit the website of this event (in Italian)​

See the photos of the event: https://www.flickr.com//photos/pesgroupcor/sets/72157670517093584/show/