Abstract
This study benchmarks material-flow conditions relevant to reverse logistics and circular material recirculation across the 27 Member States of the European Union over the period 2016–2025. Using annual Eurostat data, the analysis combines domestic material consumption, resource productivity, extra-EU imports and exports of recyclable raw materials, trade balance, trade intensity and material import dependency within a descriptive and comparative framework. The results reveal substantial heterogeneity among EU Member States and show that no single indicator can adequately characterise the conditions supporting reverse logistics and circular economy performance. At EU-27 level, domestic material consumption remained broadly stable, while resource productivity increased markedly and recyclable raw-material trade intensified. Romania displayed a distinctive profile, combining high and increasing domestic material consumption, comparatively low resource productivity, rapidly expanding recyclable raw-material exchanges and the lowest material import dependency in the EU in 2025. Romania remained a net exporter of recyclable raw materials throughout the analysed period, although its trade surplus narrowed considerably as imports increased more rapidly than exports. The findings indicate that low import dependency or high participation in secondary-material markets should not be interpreted in isolation as evidence of stronger circularity. The study contributes by integrating complementary macro-level indicators into a common benchmarking framework that supports a more nuanced interpretation of national material-flow patterns relevant to reverse logistics and the circular economy transition.
Cuvinte cheie
reverse logistics
circular economy
material flows
resource productivity
recyclable raw materials
material import dependency
EU-27
Istoric articol
Publicat
31.08.2026
Informații autori
Citare recomandată
Daniel Șoldan, Irina Puiu, Cornelius Seciu, Carmen Valentina Rădulescu (2026). Benchmarking Reverse Logistics Performance Across European Union Member States Using Circular Economy Indicators. Constantin Brâncuși University of Târgu Jiu Economics Series, 2(1), 296–316. https://doi.org/10.65631/jes.4.2026.28
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