Compete, Cooperate, Co-Evolve: Europe’s Circular Strategy with India and China
Compete, Cooperate, Co-Evolve: Europe’s Circular Strategy with India and China

Author(s): Virginia Zhelyazkova
Subject(s): Economy, Supranational / Global Economy, Business Economy / Management, Energy and Environmental Studies, Green Transformation
Published by: Университет за национално и световно стопанство (УНСС)
Keywords: circular economy; EU–India relations; EU–China relations; standards interoperability; critical raw materials
Summary/Abstract: This paper offers a concise perspective on how Europe can balance competition and collaboration with India and China in the area of circular economy. Using the “compete, cooperate, co-evolve” lens, it focuses on three levers: (1) standards and product-data interoperability, (2) secure and diversified secondary materials – especially critical raw materials, and (3) supply-chain partnerships. Two brief cases – batteries and textiles – illustrate where interests align and where frictions arise. The argument is that Europe should pair defensive resilience (due diligence, recycling, and diversification) with targeted cooperation: mutual-recognition pilots for product-passport data, joint urban mining and repair/reuse initiatives with India, and selective alignment with China on recycling and safety standards without deep technological lock-in. The contribution is a pragmatic framework and a small set of policy options suitable for near-term implementation, aiming to advance strategic autonomy while avoiding zero-sum dynamics.

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