Renew Europe MEP Katri Kulmuni has asked the European Commission to ensure that renewable bio-based materials are treated on a par with recycled materials in the forthcoming Circular Economy Act, warning that the EU risks developing its circular economy and bioeconomy policies in separate silos. In a written parliamentary question submitted on 9 June 2026, Kulmuni argues that the upcoming Circular Economy Act appears to focus heavily on secondary raw materials and waste, while the EU's bioeconomy strategy and the forthcoming Biotech Act II concentrate on bio-based inputs, creating a disconnect that could undermine the potential of renewable bio-based solutions.
Kulmuni's question contains three concrete asks. First, she wants the Commission to clarify how renewable bio-based materials and products will be taken into account in the Circular Economy Act, specifically demanding that they qualify as circular materials in demand-boosting measures. Second, she presses the Commission to ensure that renewability and renewable bio-based materials are explicitly considered in the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (EU 2024/1781), which already sets a framework for sustainability requirements. Third, she calls for alignment between the Product Environmental Footprint methodology and the bioeconomy strategy, particularly regarding the crediting of carbon removal and storage for bio-based materials containing biogenic carbon, as opposed to fossil-based alternatives.
The question signals a push to integrate bioeconomy objectives into the EU's core circular economy framework, rather than treating them as parallel tracks. By requesting specific recognition of renewability in ecodesign rules and environmental footprinting, Kulmuni aims to create a level playing field where bio-based materials are not disadvantaged compared to recycled content. The Commission is expected to reply within approximately six weeks; its answer will indicate whether it intends to broaden the Circular Economy Act's scope beyond waste and secondary raw materials to include renewable bio-based feedstocks as circular solutions.
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