This week, Apostol Constantin, CEO of As Metal, took part in the official visit of the Coalition for Circular Economy – CERC to the European Parliament in Brussels, at the invitation of Vice-President Nicu Ștefănuță.
The delegation conveyed a central message for the future of industry: there is no waste, only resources that can be recovered and put to use. This principle of the circular economy guided the discussions with representatives of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, and the Committee on Budgets.
During the discussions, Mr Nicu Ștefănuță underlined that the Green Deal supports Romania by generating jobs, economic development and access to new opportunities in research and innovation. The European Union does not impose constraints, but supports the transition of member states towards a sustainable economic model.
The CERC delegation brought together representatives of the main sectors of the circular economy — packaging, paper, aluminium, textile and electronics recycling — and held working meetings with Members of the European Parliament Michael Bloss, Sara Mathieu, Ignazio Roberto Marino and Adina Vălean, addressing topics such as the Circular Economy Act, End-of-Waste, PPWR and strengthening the European market for recycled materials.
An important moment in the programme was the workshop dedicated to the circular industry, hosted by Members of the European Parliament Svenja Hahn and Anna Cavazzini, together with experts from Recycling Europe and the Institute for European Environmental Policy.
We thank Vice-President Nicu Ștefănuță and his team for the invitation and the open dialogue. As Metal returns from Brussels with an even stronger commitment to contributing to a circular, competitive and responsible European economy.