ECONOMY AND MARKET
According to the 8th Report by the Circular Economy Network( CEN) and Enea, Italy confirms its position as a European leader in the circular economy, with a waste recycling rate of 85.6 %, a circular material use rate of 21.6 %, and first place in packaging recycling( 76.7 %).
The National Conference on Circular Economy 2026
CIRCULAR ECONOMY: ITALY IS A EUROPEAN LEADER
Italian technology plast / October 2026
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Italy confirms its European leadership in the circular economy, but remains heavily exposed to foreign dependency for raw materials. This picture emerges from the 8th Report by the Circular Economy Network( CEN), presented at the National Conference on Circular Economy 2026, promoted together with Enea. The most evident figure concerns this precise vulnerability: 46.6 % of the raw materials used in Italy are imported, more than double the European average( 22.4 %). In 2025, import costs reached nearly 600 billion euros, an increase of 23.3 % compared to 2021, driven partly by geopolitical tensions and rising material prices.
LEADERSHIP IN CIRCULARITY, BUT WITH STRUCTURAL LIMITS Despite this dependency, Italy displays outstanding environmental performance. The circular material use rate reached 21.6 %, the highest in Europe. Even more significant is the recycling figure: 85.6 % of waste is recovered, more than double the EU average. The packaging sector— where plastics play a central role— also registers major results: 76.7 % of packaging is recycled, placing Italy first in Europe. However, the Report highlights a critical issue: investments in typical circular economy activities are declining, dropping from 13.1 to 10.2 billion euros between 2019 and 2023.
PLASTICS: A“ SILENT” BUT STRATEGIC PRESENCE In the analyzed documents, plastic materials are not always mentioned directly, but they emerge as a key cross-cutting element in at least three main areas: 1. Packaging and Recycling The packaging sector is where references to plastics are most evident, though often implicit. Indeed, recycling data covers all supply chains, including plastics, which have historically been significant within the Conai system. Furthermore, European and national guidelines explicitly mention:
• The Packaging Regulation
• Ecodesign policies directly involving plastic packaging, recyclability,
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