On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of RREUSE, we give the floor to different people active in the social and circular sector to hear their reflections and perspectives on opportunities and challenges facing the social circular economy.
First on the list is Matthias Neitsch, Managing Director of our member Re-Use Austria and since 2020 President of RREUSE. In this interview, he shares the key milestones for RREUSE and the sector, as well as his view on the challenges ahead.
For Re-Use Austria, RREUSE has always been much more than a European umbrella organisation. It is a network of extremely dedicated and engaged people and organisations that share similar values and face similar challenges, and give each other a sense of “family”.
As a relatively small organisation in Austria, we benefit enormously from exchanging experiences with members across Europe. Many of the topics we are working on today, from textile EPR to repair policies and social procurement, are being discussed elsewhere in Europe as well. Through RREUSE, we learn from each other and develop stronger solutions together.
Just as importantly, RREUSE gives us a collective voice in Brussels. Many of the decisions that directly affect the vital interests of our members are taken at EU level. Being part of RREUSE means being able to contribute to those discussions rather than simply reacting to them afterwards. Looking back, I think this combination of practical exchange, solidarity and joint advocacy is what makes RREUSE so valuable.
What stands out to me the most is how much the perception of reuse and repair has changed.
When I first became involved in this sector way back in the early 90s, reuse and second-hand were often seen as marginal or charitable activities. One memory that always comes to my mind is the discussion around the revision of the Waste Framework Directive that finally entered into force in 2008. Before that time, Europe still worked with the traditional three-step waste hierarchy. RREUSE advocated strongly for recognising preparation for reuse as a distinct activity and for introducing the five-step waste hierarchy that is now taken for granted. This may sound technical, but it was a crucial breakthrough. For the first time, preparing products for reuse was recognised as a legitimate waste management activity in its own right. That opened the door for municipalities and later EPR systems to support these activities financially.
Today, they are recognised as essential elements of the circular economy – strongly in political statements, less in legal framework conditions and still less in financial support. This last point is crucial: what we see is that the financing hierarchy is exactly upside down the waste hierarchy: the lowest steps of the waste hierarchy receive the highest financial resources. This changes slowly but constantly, and RREUSE has played an important role in driving that shift and ensuring that reuse remains not only high on the European agenda but receives more funding, be it through EU funding calls or new EPR regulations.
Another milestone that makes me proud is the recognition social enterprises received in the latest revision of the Waste Framework Directive. After many years of patient advocacy by RREUSE, social enterprises are now explicitly recognised as important actors in the future governance of textile EPR systems. For a relatively small Brussels-based network, helping shape European legislation in such a concrete way is a remarkable achievement.
More generally, I think it is remarkable how RREUSE has grown from a small network into a respected European stakeholder while maintaining its strong sense of solidarity and mutual support.
The biggest challenge I see today is that many social enterprises are expected to deliver more environmental and social impact while operating under increasingly difficult economic conditions.
The textile sector is a good example. Across Europe, organisations that have been collecting, sorting and preparing textiles for reuse for decades are facing a severe crisis. Declining revenues from second-hand textiles, rising costs and rapidly changing global markets are putting enormous pressure on many organisations.
This is a crucial moment for Europe's circular economy. Ambitious policies alone are not enough. We also need economic frameworks that make reuse and repair viable in practice.
This is where RREUSE plays an essential role. It helps policymakers understand what is happening on the ground while enabling members to learn from each other and develop common solutions to shared challenges.
My first wish would be that social enterprises are systematically recognised as key partners in delivering Europe's circular economy objectives.
My second wish would be for EPR systems that genuinely support reuse and repair. If we want waste prevention to become a reality, the organisations doing this work need stable and long-term financing.
My third wish would be that future legislation consistently prioritises reuse before recycling. Recycling remains important, but keeping products in use for longer should always be the preferred option from both an environmental and social perspective.
If Europe manages to combine these three elements, we will not only achieve better environmental outcomes, but also create more local jobs, more social inclusion and more resilient communities. And that is ultimately what attracted me to RREUSE many years ago and what keeps me convinced of its mission today.
