COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF ECO-INNOVATIONS USING THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY PERSPECTIVE IN EUROPEAN UNION COUNTRIES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35120/sciencej0301149mKeywords:
eco-innovation, circular economy, comparative analysis, patents related to recycling and secondary raw materialsAbstract
This paper aims to examine the crucial role of eco-innovations in driving the transition towards a circular economy model, with a focus on the development of patents related to recycling and secondary raw materials. The purpose is to fill the research gap on this topic, internationally and domestically, with a specific focus on the European Union and its member states. The research utilized secondary data obtained from the Eurostat website, specifically in the field of Competitiveness and Innovation within the circular economy model. Patents related to recycling and secondary raw materials used as the indicators for eco-innovation. The statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, trend analysis, and forecasting. The research results show that Germany is the leader, followed by France and Poland, while all other countries have the significantly lower rankings. The trend analysis for European Union countries and Germany shows that the maximum result was achieved in a year 2019, with a significant decline in a year 2020. Predictions indicate a trend of increasing the number of patents for recycling and secondary raw materials in the year 2021, for both the European Union countries and Germany, followed by downward to the year 2024. All things considered, this research presented new and significant results, considering it analyzes the situation in EU countries. The recommendation would be to intensify efforts in creating new patents for recycling and secondary raw materials in order to increase eco-innovation
Downloads
References
Barragán-Ocaña, A., Silva-Borjas, P., & Olmos-Peña, S. (2021). Scientific and technological trajectory in the recovery of valueadded products from wastewater: A general approach. Journal of Water Process Engineering, 39, (February 2021), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwpe.2020.101692
Erić, I., & Dabetić, S. (2019). Inovacije u funkciji privrednog razvoja organizacije. 19. International Conference Accounting and
Management – A and M. (109-120). Zadar: Visoka škola za financijski menadžment i Udruga Hrvatski računovođa.
ISBN 978-953-7828-18-9, UDK: 658.155.
European Commission – EC (2015). Communication from the commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the
European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the regions. Closing the loop - An EU action plan for
the Circular Economy.COM/2015/0614 final. Brussel: European Commission. Available online: https://eur-lex.europa.
eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52015DC0614. Accessed on: 11.12.2023.
European Commission – EC (2018). Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the
European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on a monitoring framework for the
circular economy. {SWD (2018) 17 final}. Strasbourg, 16.1.2018. Brussel: European Commission.https://eur-lex.
europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=COM%3A2018%3A29%3AFIN. Accessed on: 20.12.2023.
European Patent Office - EPO (2021). New EPO study: Europe and US are leading innovation in plastic recycling and alternative
plastics globally, patent data shows. Munich: European Patent Office. Available online: https://www.epo.org/en/newsevents/news/new-epo-study-europe-and-us-are-leading-innovation-plastic-recycling, Accessed on: 21.12.2023.
European Patent Office a (2021). Patents for tomorrow’s plastics. Global innovation trends in recycling, circular design and
alternative sources. October 2021. Munich: European Patent Office. Available online: https://link.epo.org/web/patents_
for_tomorrows_plastics_study_en.pdf, Accessed on: 21.12.2023.
Göbel Johannes, (2018). Five reasons for Germany’s innovative strength. Targeted investments, worldwide collaboration: that’s
why Germany creates so many innovations. Deutschland.de. Retrieved 15.01.2024. from: https://www.deutschland.de/
en/topic/business/innovations-in-germany-five-important-factors,
Hislop, H. (2011). Reinventing the wheel: A circular economy for resource security. Green Alliance.
https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD, Accessed on: 29.01.2025.
https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/cei_cie020, Accessed on:20.12.2023.
Khaertdinova, A., Maliashova, A., & Gadelshina, S. (2021). How patents support the development of new technologies in waste DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202124701011
management. In E3S Web of Conferences (Vol. 247, pp. 01011-01017). EDP Sciences.
MacArthur, E. (2013). Towards the circular economy, economic and business rationale for an accelerated transition. Ellen
MacArthur Foundation, Cowes, UK. Available online: https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/assets/downloads/
publications/Ellen-MacArthur-Foundation-Towards-the-Circular-Economy-vol.1.pdf. Accessed on 09. 02. 2024.
Milanović, T., Petrović, N., & Ćirović, M., (2019). Waste management and circular economy. XII Conference of Business
and Science SPIN ’19: Lean transformation and digitalization of Serbian industry. (328-336). Belgrade: Faculty of
Organizational Sciences.
Milanović, T., Savić, G., Martić, M., Milanović, M., & Petrović, N. (2022). Development of the waste management composite
index using DEA method as circular economy indicator: the case of European Union countries. Polish Journal of
Environmental Studies, 31(1), 771-784.
Naudé, W., & Nagler, P. (2021). The Rise and Fall of German Innovation. IZA Discussion Paper No. 14154, Bonn: IZA Institute DOI: https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3798907
of Labor Economics.
Pata, U. K., Sofuoglu, E., Ahmed, Z., & Kizilkaya, O. (2024). Eco-innovation and environmental sustainability in Germany: An
empirical approach with smooth structural shifts. In Natural Resources Forum (Vol. 48, No. 1, pp. 154-170). Oxford,
UK: Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Pichlak, M., & Szromek, A. R. (2022). Linking eco-innovation and circular economy—A conceptual approach. Journal of Open DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/joitmc8030121
Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 8(3), 121-135.
Vence, X., & Pereira, Á. (2019). Eco-innovation and Circular Business Models as drivers for a circular economy. Contaduría y DOI: https://doi.org/10.22201/fca.24488410e.2019.1806
administración, 64(SPE1), 0-0.
Zwart, R. D. (2021). The Contribution of Patenting to A Circular Economy: How Patents on Waste Management Influence
Resource Efficiency and Waste Reduction. Master’s thesis, The Netherlands: Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan,
Utrecht. https://studenttheses.uu.nl/handle/20.500.12932/917. Accessed 25.12.2023