On October 5th, 2026, the ToCoReRaM Online Policy Exchange brought together policymakers and stakeholders at European and national level to discuss the project’s key findings and the resulting recommendations for supporting SMEs in Europe’s transition towards a circular economy.
The session presented the Policy Brief for EU Decision-Makers Shaping SME and Environmental Policy. It shows that many SMEs are willing to adopt circular principles but face technical, economic, regulatory, and IT-related barriers in practice. The recommendations include clear and harmonized regulatory frameworks, stronger market incentives for secondary raw materials, targeted SME support, and digital tools that translate regulatory requirements such as the ESPR into practical product-development decisions.
The exchange gave participants the opportunity to assess how feasible the proposed measures are in practice and to identify entry points for European and national policymaking, helping SMEs take on their role as drivers of Europe’s circular economy.
The policy brief is publicly available on www.designforrecovery.eu