Cities, regions and industry representatives call for a stronger European action to reduce resource dependency, strengthen competitiveness and accelerate the circular transition in the built environment.
Brussels, 26 June 2026
A coalition of 91 organisations, with cities and regions representing more than 80 million Europeans across 16 EU Member States and candidate country Albania, has presented a joint Call for Action to the European Commission and the European Parliament, urging EU decision-makers to make circular construction a central pillar of the upcoming Circular Economy Act.
The initiative was formally presented during the high-level conference “Circular Construction for Competitiveness, Climate and Conservation of Raw Materials,” hosted at the European Committee of the Regions in Brussels. The coalition spans 41 cities, 28 regions, and 22 private and network organisations. Among the signatories are some of Europe’s most influential urban hubs — including the capital regions or major cities from Germany (Berlin, Hamburg), France (Île-de-France), Spain, the Netherlands (Amsterdam), Austria (Vienna), Bulgaria (Sofia), Sweden (Stockholm), Finland (Helsinki), Denmark (Copenhagen), Greece, Portugal, and Albania (Tirana) — alongside numerous smaller municipalities and progressive private entities committed to scaling up circular solutions.
Together, they are calling for ambitious European measures to reduce the construction sector’s dependence on virgin raw materials, strengthen secondary materials and improve Europe’s resource resilience. As a co-initiator of the Call for Action, ICLEI Europe brought together cities, regions and industry partners from across Europe to advocate for a stronger role for circular construction in the upcoming Circular Economy Act.
The construction sector is responsible for around 40% of all waste generated in the EU and remains one of the continent’s largest consumers of raw materials. At the same time, growing resource scarcity, geopolitical uncertainty and increasing material costs are placing additional pressure on Europe’s economy and supply chains.
The Call for Action outlines four priorities for the upcoming Circular Economy Act:
- reduce material consumption and prioritise reuse over demolition and new construction;
- use public procurement to create market demand for circular building solutions
- harmonise end-of-waste criteria to facilitate the use and trade of secondary materials across Europe
- strengthen the competitiveness of secondary and bio-based construction materials.
Lars Gaardhøj, Chairman of the Regional Council of the Capital Region of Denmark, emphasised the importance of European leadership: "Today, on behalf of more than 80 million citizens represented by 90 signatories from regions, cities and organisations across 17 European countries, we are calling for stronger European action to make circular construction the norm rather than the exception. We need policies that create demand for reused and recycled construction materials, strengthen markets for secondary raw materials and reduce Europe's dependence on virgin resources.”
Yann Wehrling, Vice President of Île-de-France in charge of Ecological Transition, Climate and Biodiversity, noted: "We cofinanced the development of a set of more than 100 standard contract clauses, including numerous clause circular economy provisions to be directly integrated into construction contracts. This is a public and shareable deliverable."
Esther Rommel, Board Member of the Metropolitan Region of Amsterdam and Regional Minister of the Province of North Holland, stated: "Circular construction is no longer a vision but a necessity. Across Europe, we are demonstrating that building with secondary and bio-based materials is not only possible but also effective. Now is the time for the European Union to set clear, ambitious targets and make circular construction the new European standard."
Read more about the Joint call for action on circular construction.
Call for Action on Circular Construction: Initiated by the Capital Region of Denmark, the Metropolitan Region of Amsterdam, Île-de-France, the City of Vienna, the City of Copenhagen, and ICLEI Europe, the Call for Action seeks to elevate the role of the circular built environment in EU policymaking.
ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability is a global network of more than 2,500 local and regional governments committed to sustainable urban development. Active in 125 countries, we influence sustainability policy and drive local action for low-emission, nature-based, equitable, resilient, and circular development. ICLEI Europe provides members in Europe, the Middle East, and West Asia with a voice on European and international stages, a platform to connect with peers, and tools to drive positive environmental, economic, and social change.
