Berlin/Brussels, January 2026 – Herwart Wilms, Managing Director of REMONDIS Services International GmbH and former Vice President of the BDE, has taken over the office of President of FEAD (the European Waste Management Association) as of 1 January 2026. He succeeds the previous President, Claudia Mensi from Italy.
The Executive President of BDE, Anja Siegesmund, congratulated Wilms on taking office and emphasized the importance of the new presidency for the European circular economy:
“Herwart Wilms taking office as FEAD President sends a strong signal for the private circular economy in Europe. I warmly congratulate him on this task and am convinced that he will represent the interests of the sector at European level with great expertise and clarity.”
FEAD is the European umbrella organization representing the private waste management and circular economy sector. It brings together 21 national associations with around 3,000 companies and represents their interests vis-à-vis the European institutions.
Circular economy as a key industrial and climate policy pillar
As FEAD President, Herwart Wilms aims to further strengthen the role of the circular economy in Europe’s transformation process. In his view, there is no doubt that key framework conditions for the sector are being increasingly defined at EU level.
“An increasing number of regulatory decisions with direct impact on our companies are taken in Brussels. This makes it all the more important to advocate, in a unified, fact-based and constructive manner, for efficient, privately organised circular economy solutions,” Wilms stated.
His presidency will focus on open markets, fair competition, and reliable investment conditions for recycling and resource protection. The objective is to better harness the economic potential of the circular economy while at the same time making an effective contribution to climate and resource protection. In particular, it is necessary to counter unfair competition between private and public waste management companies, as well as the growing expansion of inter-municipal cooperation and so-called in-house transactions by public waste management authorities, by offering competitive, market-oriented alternatives.
In addition, Wilms intends to strengthen constructive and trust-based cooperation among the national waste management associations within FEAD.
“While there are different positions on certain aspects due to national traditions, all FEAD members are essentially united in the view that recycling must be strengthened and the circular economy further developed – and that it is private waste management companies, with their know-how and facilities, that can achieve this. For that to happen, the legal framework must be right and allow free and fair competition – and that is what we will fight for together,” Wilms said with confidence.
Shared positions of BDE and FEAD
BDE and FEAD share the view that Europe can only achieve its climate, environmental, and resilience objectives with a strong circular economy – and only through the private waste management sector. Against this background, both associations are calling for a swift and ambitious design of the European Commission’s planned Circular Economy Act.
Anja Siegesmund stated:
“The Circular Economy Act must become a central industrial and climate policy instrument. It should establish binding framework conditions for the use of recyclates, ensure fair competition, and specifically strengthen investment in recycling and resource efficiency.”
Making consistent use of momentum from Brussels
BDE views the latest signals from Brussels positively, including those from the State of the Union address by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The announced stronger focus on the circular economy and industrial resilience underlines the growing political relevance of the issue.
A high-performing circular economy strengthens raw material security, increases value creation in Europe, and makes a significant contribution to climate protection. These potentials must now be consistently unlocked through appropriate European framework conditions.
Fair competition as a prerequisite for investment
Ensuring fair competition is a key concern of the new FEAD presidency. BDE and FEAD advocate for reducing existing structural advantages for primary raw materials and systematically strengthening recycled materials. This includes the targeted use of European incentives to promote recyclate markets. In addition, fair competition between private and public waste management companies must be ensured. To this end, VAT privileges for public waste management companies must be abolished, and exemptions for public-public cooperation and in-house transactions under procurement law must be restricted.
Joint appeal to the European Commission
On the occasion of Herwart Wilms taking office, BDE and FEAD reaffirm their joint appeal to the European Commission to anchor the circular economy as a central component of European industrial, climate, and competition policy.
“A strong circular economy is a prerequisite for competitiveness, climate protection, and industrial value creation in Europe. This is the foundation on which we will build together,” Siegesmund and Wilms concluded.
