The Position of the Circular Economy in the European Union: A Comparative Analysis of Member States
Silvia KLIŽANOVÁ – Elena KAŠŤÁKOVÁ
https://doi.org/10.18267/pr.2026.vol.2587.15
Abstract: The circular economy is currently considered one of the key topics within the European Union, as it addresses environmental and economic challenges linked to excessive resource consumption and rising waste generation. In recent years, the EU has adopted several strategic documents and initiatives to support the transition from a linear economic model to a circular economy, with an emphasis on more efficient resource use. The aim of this paper is to assess the position of the circular economy in the European Union through a comparative analysis of Member States. The paper also identifies differences in the level of implementation and the current state of the circular economy across countries. The analysis is based on secondary statistical data from Eurostat and official documents published by the European Commission. It examines selected indicators, such as the material footprint, waste generation, and the circular material use rate. The results reveal significant differences among EU Member States, with the Netherlands, Belgium and Italy performing best, while Romania, Finland and Ireland rank among the weakest. The findings also show that strong performance in one indicator does not necessarily imply a strong overall position.
Keywords: circular economy, European Union, comparative analysis
JEL Classification codes: Q56, Q58, O13
Fulltext: PDF
Published by: Prague University of Economics and Business, Oeconomica Publishing House
Year of publication: 2026
Online publication date: 20 May 2026
Copyright: Authors of the papers
ISBN 978-80-245-2587-7
ISSN 2453-6113
Pages 176-188