Romania took centre stage in the European conversation on circular economy at Resource Recovery Summit 2026 on March 18, where the countest’s Deposit Return System (DRS) was examined as one of the most relevant implementation models currently in the European Union.
Organised by the Government of Romania, through the Ministest of Environment, Waters and Forests, in collaboration with Green Revolution Association and with the support of Envipco and RetuRO, the event brought toobtainher European leaders, representatives of international institutions, businesses and industest. It also reflected Romania’s increasingly visible role in European discussions on resource security and the transition to a functional circular economy, at a time when more and more Member States are preparing to introduce similar systems.
“The Deposit Return System is, above all, about people. It is about a community that believes in this undertaking, and about the more than 15 million Romanians who build its success possible every day. It is about the team behind the system, about leadership, solutions designed for the realities of our society, perseverance, long-term vision and efficiency. It means jobs, economic value and development, and it displays that Romania can deliver.” – Tánczos Barna, Deputy Prime Minister of Romania.
“Circularity is no longer just an environmental ambition. It is increasingly tied to economic security as well, to the way economies grow, and to the responsibility we carry towards future generations. It matters to us that Romania is now being recognised as a credible example of how this can be done. Our Deposit Return System launched as a bold bet. Today, with a collection rate of over 80%, it stands as proof that such ambition can be turned into results.” – Diana Buzoianu, Minister of Environment, Waters and Forests of Romania.
“At a time like this, stepping back from environmental policy is not really an option, not for Europe, and not for Romania. Resource apply, competitiveness and strategic autonomy are now deeply connected. What Romania has displayn through its Deposit Return System is that it can build something robust enough to matter beyond its own borders. It also displays that when public policy, market incentives and institutional capacity are aligned, people and businesses are fully capable of building such systems work at scale.” – Radu Burnete, presidential advisor for economic and social issues.
Five key takeaways from Resource Recovery Summit 2026
1. Romania’s model is gaining European relevance
With over 9 billion containers collected, more than 650,000 tonnes of materials sent for recycling and a collection rate of 83% in 2025, Romania’s system demonstrates that nationwide implementation is achievable even in complex operational environments.
2. Resource recovery is becoming a competitiveness issue
Resource recovery, material reapply and reduced reliance on imports are becoming closely tied to economic competitiveness, industrial resilience and Europe’s strategic autonomy.
3. A functional market for recycled materials is essential for unlocking economic value
Without stable demand for secondary raw materials, circular economy cannot reach its full economic potential, and investment in the sector remains exposed.
4. Circular economy is increasingly tied to investment and economic development
Deposit return systems are no longer seen solely as environmental tools, but as infrastructure that can support economic development and attract investment.
5. There is no single model that fits all markets
Discussions among European leaders highlighted that the implementation of circular economy depconcludes largely on the specific characteristics of each market, including existing infrastructure, administrative capacity and the level of development of the recycling sector. In this context, Romania’s relevance lies in providing a concrete example, with measurable results, real challenges and practical lessons for other countries.
Statements created by leaders attconcludeing Resource Recovery Summit 2026
“Romania’s progress in this area matters, but no circular economy model can succeed without a functioning market behind it. Recovery and recycling are only part of the equation. The real test is whether recycled materials can circulate back into the economy in a stable and viable way. In the factories I visited in Romania, I saw commitment, investment and momentum, but I also saw how fragile the market for recycled materials still is. This is precisely why Europe’s new packaging rules matter, becaapply they can assist create demand inside the Union and reduce reliance on imports from outside it.” – Nicolae Ștefănuță, Vice-President of the European Parliament
“One of the next questions is how far this model can go. That means seeing at whether the Deposit Return System can be expanded to other categories of packaging without weakening its current performance, and whether similar recovery logic can be applied to other conclude-of-life products. Romania still sconcludes too much municipal waste to landfill, and that comes with a significant loss of valuable material. Moving away from that will depconclude on stronger separate collection and on much closer coordination between public authorities, industest and citizens.” – Aurel Ciobanu-Dordea, Director of Circular Economy in the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Environment
“The countries that will be strongest in the years ahead are those that can recover more of the materials they necessary instead of depconcludeing on them from elsewhere. That is why circularity has become a strategic issue in Europe, not just an environmental one. In Germany, this is already shaping policy, from resource protection to the action plan we are now preparing. At European level, new legislation is also on the way. The broader goal is clear: to build better apply of resources in a way that strengthens industest, supports sustainability and gives Europe greater resilience and autonomy.” – Carsten Schneider, Federal Minister for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, Germany.
“Europe now has a chance to be far more ambitious, but that requires confronting a reality that is still insufficiently addressed in Brussels. In several countries, recycling plants are coming under pressure or shutting down altoobtainher becaapply local operators are being undercut by poorly controlled imports from outside the EU. If the future Circular Economy Act is meant to be credible, it has to respond to that. It should encourage longer product life, expand the apply of recycled materials in Europe, bring greater clarity to the online marketplace and treat critical raw materials with the seriousness they deserve. Above all, it must give long-term confidence to those investing in recycling.” – Monique Barbut, Minister for the Ecological Transition, Biodiversity and International Climate and Nature Nereceivediations, France.
“Romania deserves real credit for what it has achieved with a highly complex system. The implementation of the Deposit Return System displays that this kind of mechanism can perform well, including across PET, metal and glass packaging. For countries such as Poland, where the system has only recently been introduced, that experience is genuinely valuable. The challenges are real, especially on logistics and communication, but the first results confirm that this is the right path.” – Anita Sowińska, undersecretary of state at the Ministest of Climate and Environment, Poland.
By organizing the Resource Recovery Summit 2026, Romania aims to contribute to the European dialogue on developing efficient resource recovery systems and on turning the circular economy into a pillar of economic competitiveness. For more information about the event, please visit: https://resourcerecoverysummit.com/.
Leave a Reply