1. Circular Economy and Green Employment Initiative
Radosław Owczarzak
Policy Officer
Directorate General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion

2. Towards a circular economy for Europe: policy context
Europe 2020 Strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth
Resource Efficiency Flagship Initiative
Mid-term review: pressure on resources and environmental concerns identified as a long-term trend affecting growth
Public consultation consultation/index_en.htm
7th Environment Action Programme
Thematic objective to turn the EU into a resource- efficient, green and competitive low-carbon economy 2

3. A New Commission: a new Agenda for Jobs, Growth, Fairness and Democratic Change
Environment and Maritime Affairs and Fisheries to reflect the twin logic of "Blue" and "Green" Growth
"[…] Protecting the environment and maintaining our competitiveness can go hand-in-hand, and environment policy also plays a key role in creating jobs and stimulating investment"
Contribute to projects coordinated by the Vice-Presidents for Jobs, Growth, Investment and Competitiveness and for Energy Union

4. From a linear economy …

5. … to a circular economy

6. Circular Economy Package
Specific waste challenges
Waste target review
Enabling Framework
Resource Efficiency target
Sustainable buildings COM
Sustainable food
Marine litter
Legislative proposal
Impact assessment
Fitness check (packaging)
Umbrella COM
Green Employment Initiative
Green Action Plan for SMEs
Progress Report
Analysis of an EU target for Resource Productivity
European Resource Efficiency Platform recommendations

7. An enabling framework Design and innovation Unlocking investment
Horizon 2020: large scale innovation projects, skills development, market application and partnership; a coherent product policy, Eco-design; cascading use of biomass
Unlocking investment
Environmental taxation, innovative financial instruments, accounting rules, fiduciary duties; resource stress tests, potential of the bonds market , GPP and European Funds
Harnessing the role of business and consumers
Building on the Environmental Footprint pilots, broad stakeholder cooperation under Horizon 2020, action on SMEs and green employment
Towards a recycling society – waste as a resource
Waste targets review, phasing out landfilling of recyclable waste, work with Member States on implementation, extended producer responsibility, marine litter, food & construction waste
A resource efficiency target

8. Circular Economy and Green Employment Initiative

9. Context (1)
The green transformation of the economy is driven by two forces:  
a long-term global trend towards rising energy and raw material prices - growing dependence 55%  70% by 2030
the climate and environmental policies

10. Context (2) – Policy initiatives
Europe 2020: strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth
Employment Package (2012): Towards a job-rich recovery and SWD: Exploiting the employment potential of green growth
EMPL (2013): Promoting green jobs throughout the crisis: a handbook of best practices in Europe
2013 and 2014 Annual Growth Surveys - the need to develop strategic frameworks in which labour market and skills policies play an active role in supporting job creation

11. Facts and figures (1)(cautiousness)
Environmental goods and services sector (EGSS) – 3 to 4.2m jobs between 2002 and 2011
Employment creation potential: RES, energy efficiency, incl. construction, waste and water management, air quality, restoring and preserving biodiversity, developing green infrastructure…
Investing in the resource productivity by 2030 could boost GDP by 1% and create more than 2 million jobs

12. Facts and figures (2)
Internal transformation and redefinition of jobs:
sectors with a high share of emissions (energy generation, transport, agriculture, construction) % of the EU workforce (ranging from 10.7% to 26.7%)
Energy intensive industries (chemicals, steel etc.) – international competition and risk of carbon leakage

13. Objective
Putting forward targeted policy responses and framework conditions to ensure that the employment and environmental agendas converge and to contribute to reaching the Europe 2020 objectives

14. Policy responses Bridging the skills gaps
Anticipating change, securing transitions and promoting mobility
Supporting job creation
Increasing data quality

15. Bridging the skills gaps
Identifying new skills requirements
Changes to educational and training curricula
Quality assurance
Better forecasting skills needs
Partnerships of PES, VET, Social Partners, Business
TOOLS: Sector Skills Councils, Sector Skills Alliances, ESCO, EU Skills Panorama, Mutual Learning Programme, PES Network…

16. Anticipating change, securing transitions and promoting mobility
Anticipating change and managing restructuring
EU QFR, Sectoral initiatives (CARS2020, Construction2020, Steel, Defense…)
Anticipating and managing H&S risks
Building capacity of PES
Promoting mobility
Targeted mobility schemes, EURES, ESCO, EASQ

17. Supporting job creation
20% of EU funding – ESF, ERDF, Horizon 2020, EAFRD, COSME, LIFE…
Shifting taxation from labour to environment, resource and energy use
Green public procurement
Promoting entrepreneurship
Coordinated with ENTR – Green Action Plan for SMEs
Green social economy
Green micro-finance

18. Engaging key stakeholders and improving data quality
Promoting engagement of the key stake holders, incl. local and regional authorities, social partners
Increasing data quality and transparency
Strengthening international cooperation, e.g. Green Growth Knowledge Platform

19. Thank you for your attention!
Radosław OWCZARZAK European Commission Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion

20. zero recyclables or biodegradable waste by 2025 (<25%)
2030 – Waste Targets
Food waste 30%
PREVENTION
REUSE & RECYCLING
(incl compost)
min 70%
INCINERATION
LANDFILL
zero recyclables or biodegradable waste by 2025 (<25%)
phase out by 2030 (=<5%)
MUNICIPAL WASTE
ECODESIGN
Packaging (80%)
60% plastic
(+review)
80% wood
90% metal
glass
paper
Producer Responsibility
Separate Collection
Landfill
Charges
Marine Litter
30%

21. Setting a resource efficiency target
7th EAP: "A long-term and predictable policy framework … will help to stimulate the level of investments and action needed to fully develop markets for greener technologies and promote sustainable business solutions. Resource efficiency indicators and targets underpinned by robust data collection would provide the necessary guidance ..."
EREP, 2014: "secure at least a doubling of resource productivity as compared with the pre-crisis trend … equivalent to an increase of well over 30% by 2030"

22. A possible EU resource efficiency target
Improving resource efficiency by 30% can create 2 million jobs and boost GDP by 1% vs. business-as-usual (+15%)
Potential gains for businesses of between 3 and 8% of turnover by using resources more efficiently

23. Engagement of the Social Partners
Inter-professional (integration of polices)
Sectoral (skills and training, resource efficiency roadmaps)
Enterprise and workplace (energy and resource efficiency initiatives)
All levels: working conditions and OSH