Information on data
Selection of indicators
The European Commission has set up a monitoring framework to keep track of progress towards a circular economy. This framework provides a holistic view as it:
- measures direct and indirect benefits of 'becoming circular' and
- values the contribution of a circular economy in living well within the limits of the planet
- addresses energy and material supply risks.
It consists of 5 thematic sections with a total of 11 statistical indicators, some of which have additional sub-indicators. In some cases policy targets exist which should be achieved in the future, and the indicators monitor progress towards these targets. The current monitoring framework is a revision of the original framework which was set up in 2018.
The indicators were selected in order to capture the main elements of a circular economy. The list of the indicators chosen is short and concise. It makes use of already available data, while also pointing out areas for which the development of new indicators is underway, for example for green public procurement.
Most of the indicators in the framework are official statistics sourced by Eurostat.
Others are produced by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) and the Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW). The indicator on patents comes from the European Patent Office.
Thematic areas
The 11 indicators, for which data is available in our database, are divided into the following 5 thematic areas:
Resource extraction and processing are responsible for much of the total greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity loss and water stress. Monitoring the production and consumption phase is essential for understanding progress towards the circular economy.
This area comprises 3 statistical indicators:
- material consumption
- green public procurement
- waste generation.
The circular economy seeks to reduce the material consumption of the economy by decreasing the consumption of materials and decoupling economic growth from resource use.
Green public procurement accounts for a large share of public expenditure. Thus, it can drive the circular economy and provide useful indication of how much public funds contribute to the circular economy. In a circular economy, waste generation is minimised.
Discarding food has negative environmental, climate and economic impacts. This indicator is broken down into several sub-indicators by type of waste, such as municipal, food, plastic packaging, e-waste.
This thematic area focuses on the recycling of waste.
Materials that are not recycled are lost at the end of the economic cycle, as are the embedded energy and other resources used in their processing. Embedded energy refers to the energy that was needed to create the product. Recycling is the treatment method by which waste materials are actually returned into the economic cycle and therefore, can continue creating value.
This area comprises 2 statistical indicators:
- overall recycling rates
- recycling rates for specific waste streams.
Increasing the amount of waste that is recycled is part of the transition to a circular economy. The overall recycling rate helps to monitor progress in this area.
In addition, the recycling rates for specific waste streams provide more detailed insights, in particular about packaging waste, including plastic, and electrical and electronic waste, which pose a challenge to the economy and the environment.
In a circular economy, secondary raw materials are widely used to make new products. To close loops of the circular economy, materials and products need to ultimately be reinjected in the economy.
This area comprises 2 statistical indicators:
- contribution of recycled materials to raw materials demand
- trade of recyclable raw materials between EU countries and with the rest of the world.
The contribution of recycled materials to raw materials demand is measured with by two 2 sub-indicators:
- the circular material use rate, which measures it this for the whole economy
- the end-of-life recycling rates, which measures it this for specific important materials.
Trade in recyclables reflects the importance of the internal market and global participation in the circular economy. This is measured by the trade of recyclable raw materials between the EU countries and the rest of the world.
The transition to a circular economy is a unique opportunity to make our economy more competitive and innovative. A circular economy increases the life span of products through:
- improving design for circularity
- increasing reuse, reparability, durability, and upgradability
- promoting innovative industrial processes, for example industrial symbiosis
- fostering innovative forms of consumption, such as the collaborative economy.
This area comprises 2 statistical indicators:
- private investments, jobs and gross value added
- innovation.
Investments, jobs and gross value added (in the recycling sector, and repair and reuse sector) are a key element of the transition to a circular economy. A circular economy can make a significant contribution to the creation of jobs and economic growth, while reducing inequalities and enhancing collective resilience.
The number of patents related to recycling and secondary raw materials are an indicator of innovative technologies in a circular economy with the aim of boosting the EU’s global competitiveness.
The EU economy depends on raw materials coming from the rest of the world. Reducing the demand for primary resources and energy in the EU, reduces our dependence on energy and materials imports. The contribution of the circular economy to the security of supply of raw materials is particularly important.
Global sustainabilty means that a circular economy contributes to meeting climate neutrality and the global Sustainable Development Goals. Resilience means that the EU will boost its materials and energy security supply by becoming more circular.
This area comprises two 2 statistical indicators:
- global sustainability from circular economy
- resilience from circular economy
Global sustainabilty is a complex concept that cannot be measured by a single indicator. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions and primary material use are 2 sides of the same coin. The framework uses 2 sub-indicators to measure global sustainability:
- consumption footprint which indicates the extent to which the planetary boundaries are respected
- greenhouse gas emissions from production activities which represent how much circular economy contributes to climate neutrality.
Resilience is also measured by 2 sub-indicators:
- material dependency quantifies how much the EU depends on imports of materials
- self-sufficiency of selected raw materials for production in the EU which is about the contribution of the circular economy to security of raw materials supply.