Spain Advances Circular Economy with National Plan and Local Business Network in Rubí
Spain enhances its circular economy efforts via a €1.884 billion national action plan and Rubí's expanding business network fostering innovation and sustainability.
- • Spain approved the II Circular Economy Action Plan with 105 measures and €1.884 billion investment.
- • The plan focuses on ecodesign, responsible consumption, waste prevention, secondary raw materials, and water reuse.
- • Rubí's Circular Economy Network (XEC Rubí) supports 26 local businesses transitioning to circular and digital models.
- • XEC Rubí completed 'Rubí Circular' project identifying 30 circularity opportunities and runs four ongoing projects.
- • Both initiatives emphasize collaboration, innovation, and social equity in Spain's ecological transition.
Key details
The Spanish government and the municipality of Rubí are making significant strides in promoting the circular economy through complementary initiatives aimed at fostering sustainability and competitiveness in businesses. On the national level, Spain's Council of Ministers approved the II Circular Economy Action Plan, the primary tool to implement the Spanish Circular Economy Strategy 2030. This ambitious plan involves an estimated €1.884 billion investment, enacts 105 measures spanning 12 ministries, and emphasizes ecodesign, responsible consumption, waste prevention, secondary raw material usage, and water reuse. It also integrates international cooperation and social equity considerations, addressing governance and employment transformations in the circular economy.
Simultaneously, the Ayuntamiento de Rubí, backed by the Diputación de Barcelona, is promoting the Circular Economy Network of Rubí (XEC Rubí) to support local companies in transitioning to circular and digital business models. Currently with 26 members primarily from the industrial sector, XEC Rubí offers free technical advice, training, collaborative projects, and access to strategic partnerships to enhance competitiveness and innovation. The network recently completed its inaugural project, 'Rubí Circular,' which identified 30 circularity and digitalization opportunities across 15 company visits. Four ongoing projects now address prioritized challenges, including industrial waste valorization, material reuse, waste separation improvements, and process water reuse.
By 2026, XEC Rubí intends to evolve into a vibrant innovation hub fostering business collaboration to tackle shared challenges through specialized services. The network excludes commerce, tourism, and local food production sectors but encourages broader local business participation to build a public-private ecosystem for sustainability. Membership helps companies increase visibility and access vital resources in the circular economy.
Together, these nationwide and local initiatives reflect Spain's integrated approach to driving its ecological transition, linking high-level strategy with grassroots business engagement. The II Action Plan's transversal lines emphasize governance coordination and social inclusiveness, while XEC Rubí exemplifies practical implementation at the municipal level, enabling businesses to concretely embrace circular principles. This alignment ensures that Spain's circular economy efforts advance cohesively across scales and sectors in pursuit of environmental sustainability, economic resilience, and social equity.
This article was translated and synthesized from Spanish sources, providing English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
