The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) developed new Guidelines for Measuring Circular Economy.

The authors highlight several key characteristics of a circular economy:

• The cost of materials is maximum and lasts as long as possible
• Consumption of materials and their consumption is minimal
• Measures to prevent the generation of waste and reduce the negative impact on the environment are taken throughout the entire life cycle of materials

A matrix for monitoring the development of the circular economy has been developed, consisting of 19 indicators grouped into four thematic blocks:

• “Material life-cycle and value chain”,
• “Interactions with the environment”,
• “Responses and actions”,
• “Socio-economic opportunities”.

The indicator framework is based on three key principles: policy relevance, analytical soundness, and measurability.