This paper aims to contribute to a better understanding of the legal conditions that ideally should be fulfilled to support the transition towards a circular economy in the European Union. More specifically, the paper examines how the current legal framework can be improved and how coherence within and between the relevant laws can be established in view of life-cycle thinking. This topic is underexposed in the literature. Three key laws are analysed separately: the Ecodesign Framework Directive, the Waste Framework Directive and the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals Regulation. Besides the identification of specific improvements for each key law, common challenges are formulated. Based on this analysis, the following conclusions are drawn. Firstly, as the concept of life-cycle thinking lies at the heart of the circular economy, it should be explicitly referred to as an environmental principle in EU primary and secondary legislation, or in any case be recognised as such by the EU institutions. Secondly, the acknowledgement of the existence of ‘EU materials law’ as a branch of EU environmental law could further strengthen the legal transition to a circular economy. Thirdly, product passports and the launch of an online product registration database could also facilitate the transition through the gathering and supply of information.

中文翻译：

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鉴于循环经济，如何改善欧盟法律框架

本文旨在帮助人们更好地理解理想情况下应满足的法律条件，以支持欧盟向循环经济的过渡。更具体地说，本文研究了如何根据生命周期思维来改进当前的法律框架以及如何在相关法律之内和之间建立起连贯性。该主题在文献中曝光不足。分别分析了三个关键法律：生态设计框架指令，废物框架指令以及化学品注册，评估，授权和限制法规。除了确定每项关键法律的具体改进之外，还提出了共同的挑战。基于此分析，得出以下结论。首先，由于生命周期思维的概念是循环经济的核心，因此在欧盟主要和次要立法中应明确将其称为环境原则，或在任何情况下均应得到欧盟机构的认可。其次，承认“欧盟物质法”是欧盟环境法的一个分支，这将进一步加强向循环经济的法律过渡。第三，产品护照和建立在线产品注册数据库也可以通过收集和提供信息来促进过渡。承认“欧盟物质法”是欧盟环境法的一个分支，可以进一步加强向循环经济的法律过渡。第三，产品护照和建立在线产品注册数据库也可以通过收集和提供信息来促进过渡。承认“欧盟物质法”是欧盟环境法的一个分支，可以进一步加强向循环经济的法律过渡。第三，产品护照和建立在线产品注册数据库也可以通过收集和提供信息来促进过渡。