This year, Romania’s circular economy is moving from early adoption to more structured implementation. Although recycling rates remain among the lowest in the EU, new national policies, growing regulatory pressure, and increased business engagement are accelerating progress. On the business side, momentum is growing: more than half of Romanian companies now have strategies to apply circularity principles in their packaging.
In parallel, regulatory pressure is rising — 67% of firms expect the impact of circular-economy rules to increase significantly, driving investments in eco-design, resource optimization, and reuse models. Meanwhile, public-private initiatives such as the Guarantee-Return System promise to turbocharge recycling infrastructure, while National Recovery and Resilience funds are backing the construction of dozens of new recycling plants by mid-2026.
To highlight the developments of the circular economy in Romania, The Diplomat-Bucharest organizes the 7th Edition of the conference dedicated to the CIRCULAR ECONOMY evolutions in 2026 on April 28th, at InterContinental Athénée Palace Bucharest, Le Diplomate hall.
Agenda:
- 9:30 – 10:00 – Registration & Networking
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10:00 – 11:40 SESSION I – STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK AND REGULATORY DEVELOPMENTS
Focus: Adapting to new European directives and the fiscal impact on business models
• Alignment with European Standards (PPWR): Transition to the new packaging regulations and the impact of moving from national legislation to direct EU mandates.
• Expansion of Deposit-Return Systems: Perspectives on integrating new product categories and managing financial flows within new pricing structures.
• Circular Economy in the Textile Industry: New responsibilities regarding mandatory separate collection and sustainable management of retail inventories.
• Challenges in Recycling Complex Materials: Analysis of the processing deficit for flexible packaging.
• Eco-Design and Fiscal Efficiency: Using sustainable design as a method for eco-modulation and regulatory compliance.
- 11:40 – 11:50 – Networking Coffee Break
- 11:50 – 13:00 SESSION II – OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE AND THE VALUE CHAIN
Focus: Logistics infrastructure, automation, and securing secondary resources.
• Transformation of Retail Space: Adapting points of sale for new automated collection flows and optimizing space for different material categories.
• Supply Chain Resilience: Integrating high-quality recycled materials and adopting sustainable alternatives within production flows.
• Reusable Logistics Systems: Scaling asset-pooling solutions and improving transport efficiency through circular secondary packaging.
• Innovation in Packaging and Product Design: Solutions for eliminating non-recyclable materials and optimizing logistics volume.
- 13:00 -14:00 Networking lunch
