EUREFAS urges the EU to make reuse a cornerstone of the Circular Economy Act

Pressure group The European Refurbishment Association (EUREFAS) has welcomed the European Commission’s ambition to adopt the Circular Economy Act (CEA), viewing it as a vital step toward building a competitive market for secondary materials. However, the association warns that the Act must go further by prioritizing product lifespan extension through reuse and refurbishment of electrical and electronic equipment. EUREFAS argues that without a strong focus on reuse, Europe risks missing a major opportunity to strengthen industrial resilience, reduce environmental impact, and preserve consumer purchasing power, according to recently released feedback document from EUREFAS.

Why reuse matters more than recycling

While recycling remains an essential part of the circular economy, EUREFAS emphasizes that material recovery is rarely complete and that many secondary raw materials end up benefiting manufacturing outside the EU. Reuse and refurbishment, on the other hand, relocate economic value within Europe, create skilled local jobs, and reduce dependence on imported raw materials. In addition, the refurbishment of consumer electronics such as Apple iPhones and laptops results in a significantly lower carbon footprint and offers high-quality, affordable alternatives to new products.

Improving collection and treatment for reuse

According to the association around 700 million unused mobile phones are currently stored in EU households. To unlock this enormous potential, the organization urges policymakers to make collection schemes more efficient and to ensure that products are evaluated by qualified professionals before recycling. It recommends financial incentives for consumers and mandates that public and private organizations return used electronics to refurbishers as the default pathway.

Making products easier to repair

EUREFAS also calls for stronger measures to improve repairability, such as mandating long-term software updates, up to 10 years for smartphones and 15 years for tablets and laptops and banning practices like part pairing, which disables functions after third-party repairs. The organization proposes integrating the Right to Repair into the Ecodesign framework to ensure legal consistency and expand its coverage to include laptops and other electronics.

Creating a single market for refurbished products

They continue to stress that internal market rules must evolve to support the growing second-hand sector. It calls for a clear legal distinction between refurbishment and manufacturing, ensuring that refurbishers are not burdened with the same obligations as original manufacturers. The association also urges the EU to end double taxation on second-hand products and to exclude refurbished devices from Extended Producer Responsibility fees when they have already been placed on the market.

Reforming EPR governance for circular progress

Finally, EUREFAS recommends that Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) systems allocate at least 30% of their revenues to support reuse initiatives. The association also calls for giving reuse actors co-decision power within Producer Responsibility Organizations and setting dedicated reuse targets for Member States. According to EUREFAS, these steps would help establish a resilient and truly circular European market for reuse and refurbishment—one that rewards sustainability, innovation, and consumer value.