Importance of metal recycling to achieve a circular economy Metals are a central element to achieve the targets set by the new Circular Economy Action Plan and the EU Green Deal – both released in 2020, as they are endlessly recyclable, and metals coming from recycling do not face downcycling or quality related issues. Their continuous introduction into new lifecycles help to secure Europe’s access to metals which is considered to be a key building block for a competitive and sustainable EU economy. In other words, metals can be qualified as a permanently available resource.