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The establishment of the Recovery and Resilience Facility is seminal in our path to a green COVID recovery. This agreement aims to support reforms and investments by Member States to mitigate the economic and social consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and make EU economies more sustainable. I was happy to support the green wins that came through in the negotiations such as ensuring there is a climate-focus to spending. . In total, the RRF will make €672.5 billion available (€312.5 billion in grants and €360 billion in loans) for Member States to invest and rebuild after the COVID crisis. These finds will be essential in ensuring that the transition from a fossil fuel based economy to a green economy.

. – I voted in favour of this report outlining the Parliament’s position towards the New Circular Economy Action Plan, one of the many initiatives proposed by the European Commission as part of the European Green Deal. The New Circular Economy Action Plan includes broad measures concerning product design, sustainable consumption and waste exports, as well as specific measures for key value chains such as electronics, batteries, plastics, textiles, construction and buildings and food. I am pleased that the report includes a call a call for a binding target to significantly reduce the EU material and consumption footprint by 2030, as pushed by the Greens/EFA group. Other welcome aspects are the call to ensure the circular economy is toxic-free and the Commission come out with a proposal for an inclusive and comprehensive legal instrument on the “right to repair.”