The circular economy (CE) has become key to achieving the environmental objectives set by the European Union (EU). This transformative process requires linear production processes to be abandoned and replaced with environmentally-friendly circular models. In this scenario, the present study uses Data Envelopment Analysis and the Sequential Malmquist Index to achieve a twofold objective: (1) to analyse the effectiveness of the national CE policies applied by 19 EU Member States and (2) to identify the items of circularity that need improvement, in order to support decision-makers in the implementation of appropriate CE policies. The results confirm that the measures adopted have had a positive impact, leading to more efficient circular patterns designed to achieve the desired climate neutrality. Policymakers should focus on resilience and international cooperation, without overlooking environmental sustainability and the need to control excessive resource extraction.

The EU supports agricultural policies to help farmers meet the challenges of climate change (CC) by promoting more sustainable and environmentally friendly practices. This study focuses on the European primary sector (agriculture, forestry, and fisheries), productive activities that meet humanity’s basic needs, although this sector does not account for a dominant share of GDP. The analysis uses a panel data sample of 22 European countries for the period 2012–2019, and seeks to answer the following research questions: Is there a direct relationship between agricultural innovation efficiency and the technological advances implemented? What effect do GHG emissions and innovation efficiency have on CC? Which agricultural practices have the greatest effect on the volume of GHG emissions? The results indicate that the European primary sector has registered an average rise in productivity of 4%, mainly driven by technological improvements. This underscores the need for agricultural innovation policies that focus not only on improving aspects related to technology but also on making better use of existing resources. In addition, the econometric models estimated confirm that efficiency levels are the most influential determinants of temperature change, while GHG emissions are primarily explained by their own historical values. Ultimately, research and development is a tool that can be used to curb CC, along with the proper use of land and fertilizers. There is thus a need to foster novel agricultural practices that help reduce emissions while ensuring the efficiency of the sector.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play a prominent role in the ecological transition process needed to curb climate change. The European commitment to eliminate emissions by 2050 requires significant changes in business structures. This research seeks to provide quantitative information on the level of efficiency of the activities carried out by 13,343 companies of the EU-27. The aim is twofold: (1) to analyse the link between resource efficiency and green markets; and (2) to evaluate the boost that certain public and private measures can give to the green processes undertaken by SMEs, as these economic units are responsible for the bulk of carbon emissions. DEA-Bootstrap is applied, confirming the asymmetry between green markets and resource efficiency in efforts to achieve climate neutrality, with more progress needed on the latter to help tackle environmental challenges. Decision-makers should target subsidies to ensure the circularity of productive systems and thereby make progress on meeting the goals established by the 2030 Agenda. The study focuses on European SMEs, showing that in countries such as Denmark, the level of resource efficiency could improve by more than 72% if SMEs were provided with tools for self-assessing their activity, consultancy services, grants, and financial and technological advice, as well as a better understanding of the advantages offered.