The European Green Deal, introduced in 2020, includes an action plan for circular economy that focuses on sustainable resource use. The plan is based on a broader aim of sustainable industry to achieve the climate and environmental goals of the European Union (EU) by reducing and reusing materials and preventing environmentally harmful products. This paper focuses on the process of formulating the aim among and between the EU bodies, member states, industry organizations, and companies repre-senting the key industries of circular economy. Taking Finland and Finnish industries as an example, the paper examines this process as a multi-scalar and multi-stakeholder bargaining between the EU, the member state, its industry organizations/federations and firms in key industries, such as textiles and clothing, plastics, and construction. The aim is to explore the participation of Finnish firms in communicating the aims for sustainable industry in this multi-scalar context. Based on published materials and interviews of policymakers and industry representatives, it is found that (1) there are differences between industries in the level of activity, (2) their communication networks take many forms, such as company-to-industry organization, company-to-Member of European Parliament, or industry organization-to-European Commission, where the Finnish Textile & Fashion is very active, and (3) they have different kinds of action networks, such as one between the state, municipalities, and industry organizations. An example of the latter is the Green Deal agreement on construction plastics among the Ministry of Environment, Finnish municipalities, and seven industry organizations related to plastics and construction.

Keywords: sustainable industry, circular economy, bargaining, Green Deal