Spain has been discussing these months about productivity, reindustrialization and strategic autonomy as if they were separate conversations, but in reality they share several common axes. The circular economy is one of the key cross-cutting points where these three agendas intersect: it reduces dependence on external raw materials, improves industrial efficiency and strengthens the ability to compete in an environment of volatile energy costs with weakened supply chains. Nevertheless, in practice, circularity tends to be perceived as just another chapter of regulatory compliance —Spanish and European— and not as a particularly relevant part of the productive model. In Spain, this tendency has given rise to many initiatives for economic transformation, although we are still far from a system that makes circularity the easiest and preferred option.
Seeking to break this dynamic, Ecoembes —the nonprofit organization that manages packaging recycling in Spain— has released a report that includes an action plan. Circularity as a project. A strategic roadmap for Spain proposes a transition toward circularity that demands “changing the way things are produced, consumed and resources are shared”, emphasizing that recycling is necessary, but only part of a larger process. As the organization itself notes to this outlet, the main objective of its report is “to elevate circularity as a country-wide project.”
More than an environmental issue
The discussion is environmental, but over time it has been accompanied by other aspects such as the economy or competitiveness. This is because circularity is, above all, a way of organizing the economy to extract more value with fewer materials. It is also used to reduce risks in an increasingly volatile world, such as supply disruptions, rising inputs or reliance on imports. That explains why the circular economy is starting to appear in debates that until recently were framed in other fields. In this regard, Jordi Garcia Brustenga, Secretary of State for Industry, stated at an event organized by Ecoembes that “everything we can recycle or that is circular allows us not to depend on certain processes in times of crisis”.
“Everything is proposed with the aim of relaunching an efficient industrialization process for Spain, but also bearing in mind that ‘there is really a need for strategic autonomy’ “
The circularity is not just about improving waste management, but about preventing problems from arising: designing durable, repairable and updatable products; extending their life through maintenance, resale or refurbishment; facilitating reuse, and, when there is no alternative, recovering materials of sufficient quality to re-enter the production chain. The roadmap itself in the report emphasizes this idea: circularity works when each link in the cycle (eco-design, production, consumption, reverse logistics, reuse and recycling) “evolves in a coordinated manner”. All of this is proposed with the aim of relaunching an efficient industrialization process for Spain, but also taking into account that “there is really a need for strategic autonomy” and that the role of circularity in it is crucial, as Ecoembes notes.
A solid effort with substantial room for improvement
The most visible indicators show progress, though there are gray areas. The recycling rate in Spain rose to 41% in 2023, and it still remains below the European target of 55% that existed for 2025. If we look at the municipal recycling rate, shown in Graph 1, the gap with Europe has narrowed but still exists. This gap reflects a structural problem and a bottleneck in policies that require industrial redesign, investment and administrative coordination.
Do not forget that this is a challenge that involves all levels of administration —local authorities, autonomous communities and the central Government—, as well as political actors and civil society. Facing a reindustrialization opportunity, collaboration is essential. This was stated by the president of the Association of Environmental Information Journalists, María de la Fuente, at one of Ecoembes’ events: “We are at a critical moment in which we must move from a linear economy to a circular economy“, which requires the participation “of all actors in the involved spheres”.
At the European level, moving from the linear to the circular model has become a condition for sustaining competitiveness and strategic autonomy. However, the Union itself continues to advance at a modest pace. The circularity rate (the proportion of recycled materials reintroduced into the economy relative to total materials used) is an increasingly used indicator by the European Commission. In 2024, the EU average was 12.2%. In the Spanish case, the data in Graph 2 place Spain’s rate of use of circular materials at 7.4%, almost five points below the community average. By contrast, figures for the Netherlands (32.7%), Belgium (22.7%) or Italy (21.6%) show that the margin for improvement is wide.
The critical point is not only what (targets, indicators, regulations) but how (implementation capacity). Ecoembes, which brings together “more than 24,000 companies”, includes a survey of several of them in its report with the purpose of “having a more strategic view” of different sectors, detailed to Agenda Pública. Among the companies surveyed, more than 70% say that the degree of circular economy implementation in their sector is medium or low. When asked to identify the main obstacles, they point to implementation costs and difficulty in measuring indicators (55.6%), regulatory barriers (44.4%), and, in a second tier, also the lack of awareness among citizens (33.3%).
“Among the surveyed companies, more than 70% say the degree of implementation of the circular economy in their sector is medium or low”
The companies themselves are aware of the room for improvement: almost half (45%) admit to having internal knowledge “low or very low” about the circular economy. At the same time, a window of opportunity appears: 88.9% say they “collaborate with other organizations on circular economy initiatives”. There is a willingness to cooperate, but there is a lack of an architecture that turns that cooperation into a common project.
Collaboration is reflected in Spain’s progress in some areas. Again in European perspective, Map 1 shows that Spain is one of the few countries meeting key targets set from Brussels, such as the recycling rate of packaging waste for 2030. Although there is still room for action for the rest of the countries —and for Spain to improve—, the first step of the commitment is being taken.
Where and how to start the change?
From this diagnosis and as a consequence of the “new context drawn by the European Commission’s Compass for the Competitiveness and the Draghi report”, the report lays out a roadmap organized into four strategic steps: recognize the circular process in its entirety (from eco-design to the reintegration of materials), strengthen the role of all actors in the model (public sector, companies, citizens and education), translate commitments into operational public policies (clear regulation, incentives and standards) and place pedagogy and innovation at the center to sustain the cultural and technological change.
“The first recommendation that the involved agents put forward centers on governance: the creation of a State Agency for Circular Economy”
Solutions do not rely on a single grand plan, but rather on integrating all the pieces that already exist into a model that is better. After the dialogue among companies, civil society, unions, parliamentarians and other actors promoted by Ecoembes, the proposal is the creation of a State Agency for Circular Economy, an agency with transversal authority to coordinate policies, remove bureaucratic obstacles and align ministries, autonomous communities and municipalities, avoiding overlaps and regulatory gaps.
In addition to the creation of the agency, there is the proposal of an “incentive-based tax system”. Reflecting the views of the different agents, bonuses, deductions and subsidies are proposed for those who adopt circular processes, combined with mechanisms that internalize the costs of linear models, trying to increase the incentives for companies to adopt this vision.
Following the shared discussion among the actors, a bottleneck in demand is also identified and it is suggested to activate the market with two complementary levers: stimulate a solid secondary market with campaigns and transparent labeling, and use public procurement as a driver, with green criteria “mandatory and ambitious” in tenders to generate volume and accelerate adoption among suppliers.
To prevent the transition from being reserved for large companies, the ten-point plan prioritizes specialized consulting programs for SMEs, with technical and financial support for eco-design, resource efficiency and technology adoption.
Finally, it is not ignored that circularity needs data and common rules. Therefore, the agents propose the creation of sectoral innovation centers to connect R&D with industrial needs and, above all, public information platforms that improve transparency and traceability, together with a methodological harmonization of metrics to measure progress with comparable data aligned with European frameworks.
The proposal clarifies that circularity advances when it is easier to plan, measure and finance within this circular economy framework, understanding that Spain can position itself as a benchmark in sustainability and innovation. Approaching it this way, the country aims to implement circularity within a serious industrial policy project and aims to understand that, as Ecoembes states, “circularity is the only path in the current context“.
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