The Working Party on Trade Questions of the Council of the European Union received a presentation from Recycling Europe at its meeting on 23 June 2026, according to a note circulated by the General Secretariat of the Council. The document, which includes the presentation as an annex, was transmitted to delegations for discussion. The Council explicitly states that the presentation contains the views solely of the external stakeholder and cannot be regarded as an official position of the Council or its members.
The presentation by Recycling Europe, an industry association representing the recycling sector, was the subject of the working party's discussion. The document does not specify the content of the presentation or any conclusions reached by the working party. The note serves primarily to inform delegations and facilitate discussion, without indicating any policy direction or endorsement from the Council.
This meeting follows a series of EU initiatives on circular economy and trade. The European Commission adopted the Circular Economy Action Plan in March 2020, and in February 2021 the Council adopted conclusions on the action plan, calling for measures to promote recycling and sustainable products. More recently, in November 2022, the Council adopted its general approach on the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, which sets requirements for product durability, repairability, and recyclability. The working party's discussion on 23 June 2026 may feed into ongoing trade-related aspects of these policies, though no formal follow-up is indicated in the document.
The presentation by Recycling Europe is part of the Council's practice of consulting stakeholders on trade policy issues. The working party, which prepares trade policy decisions for the Council, often hears from industry representatives, civil society, and other experts. The note's disclaimer that the views are not an official Council position is standard for such stakeholder inputs.
The recycling industry, represented by Recycling Europe, gains an opportunity to present its views to EU trade policymakers, potentially influencing future trade measures related to waste and secondary raw materials. EU trade negotiators may consider these views when shaping trade agreements or regulations affecting recycling. Environmental NGOs and consumer groups may have an interest in how recycling considerations are integrated into trade policy, though their views are not reflected in this document. EU producers of recycled materials could benefit if the presentation leads to trade policies that facilitate exports of recycled goods or restrict imports of non-recyclable products.
The working party's discussion may lead to a report or recommendations to the Council's Trade Policy Committee, but no specific next steps are outlined in the note. The European Commission, which holds the right of initiative on trade policy, may incorporate stakeholder input into future proposals.