In order to support businesses in improving their resource efficiency, Member States use a variety of approaches, ranging from voluntary to regulatory measures. This study assesses the scope of application of ten relevant measures and provides good practice cases across Member States. Through data gathering on Member State level, this study found a wide range of successful examples of measures, varying by country and region. A number of lessons learnt can be drawn from their application; these are useful for the design of support measures in other Member States. The study is available for download.

Many of the support measures investigated could be more systematically adopted, building on the lessons learnt from where they have proven to be a success. Therefore, identifying ways of transferring and adapting this knowledge to other Member States in their respective context(s) will be instrumental in fostering business resource efficiency across the EU.

Fostering the exchange of good practice examples and lessons learnt, both on Member State level and through facilitation by European institutions, could well serve this task. Hence, this could enable businesses, and especially SMEs, to improve both their environmental and their financial performance. In many cases, EU funding and support enabled Member States to initiate business resource efficiency support in the first place. Therefore, using EU funding to finance international best practice exchange, as well as maintaining and better integrating EU funding with national funding needs and mechanisms, seems promising to support businesses in improving their resource efficiency.

Citation annexes: Hirschnitz-Garbers, M., Hinzmann, M., Watkins, E., ten Brink, P., Milios, L., Soleille, S. et al. (2015). A framework for Member States to support business in improving its resource efficiency. Annexes to the Final Report for DG Environment, November 2015.

Citation executive summary: Hirschnitz-Garbers, M. and Hinzmann, M. (2015). A framework for Member States to support business in improving its resource efficiency. Executive Summary to the Final Report for DG Environment, November 2015.