Does the economic development of a country determine the performance of a circular economy? Records from the European Union

In light of the paradigm of sustainable development, the concept or model of the circular economy has gained a very important role. The scientific community has made significant efforts to increase knowledge about the circular economy in the context of abandoning the conventional linear economic model that has led to various environmental problems. The circular economy is a valuable element of sustainable development that emphasizes saving resources, reducing waste, extending the life cycle of products and reducing pollution. The paper highlights the improvement of the performance of the circular economy in the European Union in the analysed period, bearing in mind the movement of selected indicators. The results show that although the more advanced countries of the European Union have better foundations for the development of a circular economy, in practice there is still no strong correlation between circularity and their economic development. Therefore, it is important that all countries, regardless of their economic strength, focus their efforts on enhancing the regulatory framework and embracing the principles of the circular economy in appropriate cooperation with businesses, consumers, and the general public.