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| June 5, 2023
The European Union is one step away from adopting a new Ecodesign Regulation that will regulate the manufacturing and marketing of products to improve their energy efficiency and minimise negative environmental impacts. As consumers play a key role in the transition to a more sustainable and greener economy, the new initiatives also focus on providing accurate information on the environmental impact of products and services, thereby helping consumers in their purchasing decisions.
The new Ecodesign Regulation will represent an important step towards sustainability, can promote innovation in green technologies and ultimately help the EU achieve its objectives in the fight against climate change. It replaces the existing 2009 Directive and contains a number of measures that target almost all types of goods placed on the European market. The only exceptions are food, feed, human and veterinary medicinal products and motor vehicles.
The aim is to set requirements for energy efficiency and eco-friendliness for specific product groups, but also for durability, reliability and sustainability. The Regulation also introduces recyclability requirements and is intended to reduce the amount of waste generated by products or the presence of substances that hinder recyclability. For example, the proposal includes a ban on destroying textiles that are not sold.
The European Commission reports that the existing 2009 Directive, which set requirements for merely 31 product groups, saved EUR 120 billion in energy costs and reduced the annual energy consumption of these product groups by 10%. The extension of the scope to other product groups can therefore be expected to lead to even greater energy savings.
The Ecodesign Regulation also includes a digital product passport to inform consumers about the environmental sustainability of a product. This digital passport will not only contribute to the transparency of the origin of the goods concerned, but will also improve the implementation of controls.
The new position also stresses the importance of protecting consumers and ensuring transparency in the market by introducing a ban on general environmental claims such as “green”, “eco-friendly”, etc. These claims could then not be used to market the product unless they are backed up by a publicly available certification system. The ban will probably also apply, for example, to false claims about the durability of a product or its load-bearing capacity, etc.
The proposal further expands the list of unfair commercial practices and would require businesses to provide information on whether or not their goods are compatible with consumables, spare parts or accessories made by other manufacturers. The European Parliament has also expressed the need to extend the working life of products and to prohibit the use of components that limit the working life or cause premature failure of goods.
The extension of the Ecodesign Regulation to other product groups is a logical step towards a more sustainable future for the EU. Although this regulation will regulate the production and marketing of products in some way, it should not adversely affect manufacturers and will also lead to greater transparency in the European market. The change will also have a positive impact on consumers, who will be able to make informed purchasing decisions. The new regulation is also likely to encourage the development of the market for energy efficient products.
Negotiations between Parliament and Member States on the final content and wording of the Directive will take place before the Regulations enter into force.
