MAY 2025

Dear ECOS subscriber,

Did you know that Europe’s purchasing power represents 15% of the bloc’s GDP? If used effectively, public procurement can accelerate the industrial transition whilst simultaneously advancing competitiveness and sustainability in Europe. This month ECOS launched a new coalition on green public procurement at a special event hosted in the European Parliament. Buy Better to Build Better brings together 35 stakeholders from across the construction value chain, civil society, and public authorities, who aim to make green public procurement the default approach in Europe’s construction sector.

We’ve also announced new additions to the ECOS leadership team this month - plus news from across our international network of members and partners.

Buy Better to Build Better - New coalition on green public procurement

Industry, business associations, public authorities, and civil society unite in a new coalition calling for green public procurement to drive sustainable construction through smarter public spending in the EU. Learn more on the Buy Better to Build Better website.

JRC’s flawed recycling study fails to support circular policy

A new report, commissioned by the Rethink Plastic alliance, ECOS, and Zero Waste Europe, exposes serious methodological failures in a recent study by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) on plastics recycling technologies.

Ecodesign: A more sustainable EU single market is coming

Ecodesign, an EU success story, is expanding. More products than ever will soon be designed from the outset with sustainability in mind — a development that will be good for the environment and consumers. But how? And when? The Ecodesigned4LIFE project consortium, ECOS, BEUC, and ANEC, break it down.

Reinforcing strategic leadership at ECOS

Harnessing the expertise within our talented team, we are happy to announce changes to our leadership team. Congratulations to Valeria, Nerea, and Olivier, who will support a more strategic direction for ECOS in their new roles.

• Valeria Botta - Programme Director
• Nerea Ruiz Fuente - Global Engagement Director
• Olivier Lion - Finance Director

Regulation on recycling claims remains a work in progress

Sustainable Views, from The Financial Times, spoke to ECOS after the European Commission instructed Coca-Cola to change some of their recycling claims on plastic bottles – this follows a joint action from BEUC, ECOS, and ClientEarth, first launched in 2023.

‘Move fast, fix things’: How the EU is overhauling its ecodesign rules

The European Commission has outlined plans to bring everything from mattresses to steel under the umbrella of its ecodesign rules. ENDS Europe spoke to ECOS and others to examine what it means for businesses and the environment.

Can AI be efficient and sustainable?

EU Sustainable Energy Week

11 June 2025

Energy efficiency alone is not enough to address the environmental impacts of AI. We need harmonised methods for lifecycle assessment, more transparency about consumption, and an approach that prioritises sufficiency and societal value instead of unchecked expansion.

ECOS and RISE are co-organising a session at EU Sustainable Energy Week, ‘Can AI be efficient and sustainable? Going beyond energy efficiency’. ECOS Programme Manager, Anastasia Tsougka, will join a panel of speakers from the European Commission, International Energy Agency, Amazon, and WWF to discuss the question Can AI be efficient and sustainable?

• ECOS vision for a successful EU Electrification Action Plan
• Europe must stay committed to an ambitious reform of cement standards
• ECOS supports ambitious revision of ecodesign regulations for solid fuel heating

'Accelerating the Just Transition awards'

The 'Accelerating the Just Transition awards' [ES], organised by ECODES, recognise work integrating social and environmental perspectives. Nominations are open to individuals or organisations in three categories: Spain, Europe, or Latin America. This edition will give special consideration to building consensus, depolarising society, and promoting multi-stakeholder collaboration.

Leading health and science content creator at CleanMed Europe

Dr Karan Rajan, NHS surgeon and one of social media’s biggest health and science voices, will give a keynote at the CleanMed Europe conference, organised by Health Care Without Harm Europe. He joins Dr Maria Neira (WHO), Prof Dr Carl Moons (Health Innovation Netherlands), and over 70 experts, who will deliver 23 sessions and 12 workshops between 10-13 June, online.

Plastics in society

Maastricht University, 4 June

Senior Programme Manager, Fanny Rateau, will join a debate on “Plastics in Society”, along with speakers from the European Commission (Werner Bosmans), academia, and industry group Plastics Europe.

Biodiversity-inclusive and climate-friendly circular economy | Brussels, 5 June

The bioeconomy must operate within ecological limits to avoid driving unsustainable biomass use, biodiversity loss, and land-use conflicts. Join Senior Programme Manager Samy Porteron at this EU Green Week event organised by the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform.

Two years of CBAM: Perspectives on revision and further development | Cologne, 9 July

The North Rhine-Westphalia state agency for energy and climate protection is organising an event to discuss the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism [DE]. ECOS Head of Buildings & Industry, Jean-Luc Wietor, will speak about possible improvements, including scope expansion, in a panel session.