On 18 March 2026, the European Commission’s Directorate General for Environment announced a major update to the Circular Cities Declaration Framework, the most significant revision since the declaration was first introduced in 2019. The new framework introduces four mandatory indicators: (1) municipal residual waste per capita (target: 30% reduction by 2027); (2) recycling rate of construction and demolition waste (target: 70%); (3) share of green public procurement incorporating circular criteria (target: 50%); and (4) penetration of bio based products in municipal operations.

To date, 210 European cities have signed the declaration, including Paris, Berlin, Milan, and Amsterdam. The update also adds a “Circular City Scorecard” tool, allowing cities to self assess and benchmark against each other. The framework is not purely voluntary: starting in 2027, cities that fail to meet key performance indicators will lose eligibility for EU Urban Development Funds (up to 20% of total spending). The accompanying “Circular Public Procurement Guide” provides detailed templates and contract clauses covering office furniture, road maintenance, school meals and more.

A study by the Free University of Brussels estimates that if all EU cities meet the framework’s targets, CO₂ emissions could be reduced by 180 million tonnes by 2030 and 800,000 full time jobs created.