EU Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP)

Over the past decade, the focus on environmental issues has grown exponentially, resulting in various global commitments and initiatives aimed at transforming current institutional, economic, and financial models.

The EU Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) is reshaping the way businesses produce, consume, manage resources. As a core pillar of the European Green Deal, it sets ambitious targets to reduce waste, increase recycling, and promote sustainable production.

For businesses, compliance is just one side of the coin—this plan also presents strategic opportunities for cost savings, innovation, and sustainability leadership. This training will equip you with the knowledge and tools to turn regulatory requirements into a competitive advantage.

By the end of this training, participants will:

• understand the Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) and its key objectives;
• learn regulatory requirements and affected industries;
• identify business challenges and compliance obligations;
• explore opportunities for circular business models sustainability leadership;
• gain insights into the future impact of CEAP on supply chains and product design.

• Introduction to the EU Circular Economy Action Plan
  • What is CEAP, and why is it critical for the EU’s Green Transition?
  • Link between CEAP and the European Green Deal
  • How CEAP fits with other EU regulations (DPP, CSRD, ESPR, Waste Framework Directive)
  • Key milestones and timeline for implementation
• Key regulatory pillars of the CEAP
  • Sustainable product design - Ecodesign and digital product passports
  • Waste prevention and recycling targets - Stricter rules for producers
  • Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes
  • New rules for high-impact industries:
    • Electronics and ICT: right to repair, modular design
    • Textiles: sustainability labeling, end-of-life collection
    • Batteries and vehicles: resource efficiency and recycling mandates
    • Plastics and packaging: restrictions, reuse systems, bans on single-use plastics
• Compliance challenges and business impact
  • Supply chain adaptation: new obligations for suppliers and manufacturers
  • Data collection and reporting: sustainability, lifecycle analysis and transparency
  • Design and innovation hurdles: making products repairable and recyclable
  • Regulatory risks and enforcement: fines, market and restrictions, reputational risks
• Opportunities: business strategies for circularity
  • How to integrate circularity into business models
  • Innovative approaches: leasing, product-as-a-service, refurbishment markets
  • Financial incentives and green funding for circular business transformation
  • Competitive advantages: cost savings, sustainability bring, investor confidence
• Next steps for businesses
  • Regulatory readiness: key steps to prepare for CEAP requirements
  • Internal and external engagement: cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder alignment
  • Best practices: case studies of successful circular business models

This training is coordinated by Michael Horvath, Frédéric Vonner and Julien Jacqué, Partners at PwC Luxembourg.

• Michael Horvath is a partner at PwC with extensive expertise in sustainable finance and the asset management industry, including both financial and real assets. Since joining PwC Switzerland in 2011 and PwC Luxembourg in 2018, he has led significant projects in regulatory audit and advisory, focusing on the asset management sector. Michael has played a key role in implementing the EU regulatory framework for sustainable finance, including SFDR, taxonomy regulation, and CSRD, as well as other regulatory initiatives such as DORA, AML/CFT, CSSF circular 18/698, and MICA. He is a certified public accountant in Switzerland and Liechtenstein and has contributed to designing compliance frameworks and operational implementations driven by regulatory changes. His notable client projects include defining target operating models for Luxembourg AIFMs, digital operational resilience planning, AML/CFT framework implementation, and ESG/sustainability process design, supported by his involvement in training and regulatory advisory.
• Frédéric Vonner is a partner with over 22 years of experience managing projects and advising asset managers and securities service providers in the investment fund industry, primarily in Luxembourg. He specialises in operational excellence and regulatory compliance for UCITS and alternative funds, with a strong focus on sustainability and sustainable finance, covering strategy, compliance, and implementation. Frédéric is also an experienced trainer and course facilitator for both soft skills and technical topics. He actively contributes to ALFI and EFAMA working groups and has led numerous client projects including sustainable finance assessments, UCITS V and AIFMD implementations, depositary and GDPR assessments, fund administration reviews, and service provider rationalisation.
• Julien Jacqué is a partner in PwC Luxembourg’s technology consulting department, co-leading the ESG Non-financial sector service offering and ESG Data & Technology services across sectors. With over 12 years of experience, he supports operational and financial clients in launching Sustainability and ESG transformation programs, guiding them from ESG strategy definition to business model transformation and regulatory reporting. Specialising in transport, logistics, manufacturing, and financial services, Julien leads large-scale transformation projects and international teams, including ESG reporting upgrades for telecom clients. His expertise includes ESG strategy, Net Zero, business intelligence platforms, and end-to-end project leadership for major clients in Europe and beyond.