The European Commission produces studies to support evidence-based policymaking and holds events to gather stakeholders and disseminate information.
Studies
Study on the impact of climate and energy policies on EU competitiveness from an industry perspective
The study analyses the potential impact of climate and energy policies on the competitiveness of EU industries by 2030 through 4 main policy scenarios.
Study on regulatory barriers to the circular economy
This report on regulatory barriers to the circular economy analyses a set of circular economy business practices to identify and suggest policy and regulatory actions to unlock their full growth potential.
Study on the Competitiveness of EU Companies and Resource Efficiency
The Commission launched a study on The Competitiveness of European Companies and Resource Efficiency (1 MB) to analyse businesses performance in resource efficiency, the drivers and barriers they encounter and opportunities for greater resource efficiency and competitiveness.
Study on increasing the re-use of products
The promotion of a circular economy through increased re-use, remanufacturing, recycling and the following of a lifecycle approach can be an important driver for industrial competitiveness. Therefore the Commission launched a study, 'Treating Waste as a Resource for EU Industry: Analysis of various waste streams and the competitiveness of their client industries' (2013). The study investigated ways to promote a greater use of waste as a resource for European Industry, while strengthening its competitiveness. The study:
- explores the market typologies of various waste streams with high potential to contribute to growth
- examines the main driving forces and barriers, including market failures, as regards to treating waste as a resource for industry
- provides a framework to measure a possible decoupling of secondary raw materials from various waste streams
Study on the sharing of industrial by-products (industrial symbiosis)
Industrial symbiosis is where waste or by-products of one industry become the inputs for another one. A study on industrial symbiosis is expected by April 2015. The study called 'Analysis of certain waste streams and the potential of Industrial Symbiosis to promote waste as a resource for EU Industry' will:
- present an inventory of industrial symbiosis clusters/networks in the EU that promote waste as a resource
- seek to identify the main key drivers and constraints (including market failures) hindering the development of waste as a resource for industry and industrial symbiosis
- further develop the existing framework of the initial study to examine a decoupling process in the case of secondary raw materials for various waste streams, relevant from the point of view of industrial symbiosis.
Study on the competitiveness of EU eco-industry
To understand barriers and drivers, the Commission conducted a study on the competitiveness of EU eco-industry. The goal of this study is to perform a competitiveness screening of EU eco-industries to identify factors which need to be addressed in industrial competitiveness policy for eco-industries based on a quantitative economic foundation.
Study on levers to unlock clean industry
This study aims to identify the levers to unlock the clean industry sector in the EU. Clean industries are specific sectors or segments within the economy that are directly responsible for supplying technologies, products and services that have measurable environmental benefits in terms of their abilities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to improve both energy and resource efficiency. The study will feed into the Commission’s Energy Union Research, Innovation and Competitiveness Strategy (EURICS).
Identifying levers to unlock clean industry: summary report and background report