EU ministers discuss business and government green collaboration

The Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Petros Xenophontos, is in Stockholm on Tuesday to participate in an informal meeting of environment ministers, taking place April 18 to 19.

In a statement, the ministry announced that the European ministers will discuss with various business representatives the best practices, conditions, incentives, and further cooperation to overcome bottlenecks in achieving the green transition.

Participants will likewise discuss ways to strengthen the role of business in reversing biodiversity loss and examine how business depends on and impacts biodiversity.

The summit will focus on challenges and opportunities businesses face in increasing efficiency of the circular economy and the need for further government action and support.

Joint promotion of separate waste collection and high-quality recycling are on the agenda, with the aim of strengthening the market for used raw materials.

In addition, ways to develop greater and more effective cooperation between EU states’ governments and businesses will be explored, to ensure markets and their participants mitigate climate change and environmental degradation at national, EU and global levels.

The EU’s main priorities for developing a circular economy for plastics will be discussed, including reducing their use, limiting hazardous materials in their composition, and promoting reuse and recycling.