Today, Ecommerce Europe published a comprehensive Strategy Paper, Closing the loop on the Circular Economy, laying out an ambitious vision and actionable recommendations to empower digital commerce to lead the way in the EU’s transition towards a more circular and sustainable economy.

Gero Furchheim, President of Ecommerce Europe, commented: “E-commerce is shaping the future. By facilitating the flow of information, goods, services and resources, enabling the growth of re-commerce, making life more convenient, and constantly innovating, the sector has set the course for a circular and sustainable economy. Continuing these efforts is a necessity for competitiveness, resilience and environmental responsibility. It requires building a stronger, greener Single Market to unlock the sector’s potential. This paper marks Ecommerce Europe’s commitment to a sustainable digital economy and to working towards the right framework to achieve this goal.”

The digital commerce sector has shown its potential to harness digitalisation to scale up innovative business models and meet consumer demands for convenience and wide-ranging products and services. Fueled by the increasing number of e-shoppers in Europe, whose demands for sustainable products and services are growing, digital commerce is set to take on an increasingly important role in promoting more circular company practices and consumption patterns.

Ecommerce Europe strongly believes that investing in a circular and sustainable economy represents an opportunity to address the urgency to reduce our environmental impact, and to guarantee and enhance the resilience and competitiveness of companies in the EU. We therefore advocate for a true Circular Single Market and a level-playing field that allows sustainable businesses to scale and thrive across borders. The coming years will be instrumental in addressing the current barriers to the movement of products, resources and services to help businesses grow and scale up.

Luca Cassetti, Secretary General of Ecommerce Europe, concluded: “With this Strategy Paper, we want to highlight the contribution digital commerce can make to achieving a circular economy that works across borders and sectors. We call on policymakers to support an enabling regulatory framework that empowers companies of all sizes to invest in circular models and make sustainable choices the default, not the exception.”

This Strategy Paper is published as the EU prepares the next phase of its Circular Economy policies, including the future Circular Economy Act. Ecommerce Europe’s strategy is meant to serve as a key reference for stakeholders and decision-makers engaged in shaping the future of Europe’s sustainable economy.