EU: Circularity of material use reaching 12.2% in 2024, 1% progress since 2015

The circularity rate of material use in the EU reached 12.2% in 2024, according to Eurostat’s dataset published on 19/11/2025. This indicator measures the share of recycled materials in total material use. The EU rate rose by 0.1 percentage point compared to 2023 and by 1 percentage point compared to 2015.

In 2024, the Netherlands (32.7%), Belgium (22.7%) and Italy (21.6%) recorded the highest circularity rates. France, which ranked second in 2015 (19.1%) after the Netherlands, moved down to sixth place in 2024 with a rate of 17.8%.Romania (1.3%), Finland (2%) and Ireland (2%) recorded the lowest circularity rates.

Finland shows a specific trend, with an increase between 2010 and 2012 (10.5% to 11.9%), followed by a decline from 2013 to reach one of the lowest levels in 2024. Between 2015 and 2024, Malta recorded the largest increase (from 4.6% to 18.6%). Poland recorded the largest decrease over the same period (from 11.9% to 7.7%).

Overall evolution

Comparison between 2015 and 2024