Proposal for a Regulation establishing a framework for setting ecodesign requirements for sustainable products and repealing Directive 2009/125/EC

Summary:

Legislative initiative tabled by the European Commission on 30 March 2022, establishing a framework for setting ecodesign requirements for sustainable products. It is known as the Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR). This is a text with EEA relevance.

Further information:

The draft Regulation addresses product design, which determines up to 80% of a product's lifecycle environmental impact. It sets new requirements to make products more durable, reliable, reusable, upgradable, reparable, easier to maintain, refurbish and recycle, energy and resource efficient. In addition, product-specific information aims to ensure consumers know the environmental impacts of their purchases. The proposal foresees that all regulated products have a Digital Product Passport, and it contains measures to end the destruction of unsold consumer goods, as well as expand green public procurement and provide incentives for sustainable products.

The initiative aims to repeal Directive 2009/125/EC which established a framework for minimum eco-design requirements which goods that consume energy must meet before they can be used or sold in the European Union (EU). It extends the existing framework in two ways: first, to cover the broadest possible range of products; and second, to broaden the scope of the requirements with which products are to comply.

The draft law was adopted by the European Commission on 30 March 2022, as part of a package of initiatives relating to sustainable products and fostering sustainable product choices.

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• Alternative Source

Commentary and Analysis

University of Oslo: Sustainability Law Blog, 08/04/2022: EU’s Sustainable Product Initiative goes far and falls short https://www.jus.uio.no/english/research/areas/sustainabilitylaw/blog/futuring-sustainable-nordic-business-models/eus-sustainable-product-initiative--maitre-ekern.html

Squire Patton Boggs: frESH Blog, 18/04/2022: New EU Ecodesign law – “Making sustainable products the norm” or empty shell? https://www.freshlawblog.com/2022/04/18/new-eu-ecodesign-law-making-sustainable-products-the-norm-or-empty-shell/

European Policy Centre (EPC): Commentary 11/05/2022: Digital product passports: What does the Sustainable Products Initiative bring? https://www.epc.eu/en/publications/Digital-product-passports-What-does-the-Sustainable-Products-Initiati~484018

EPRS: Briefing, June 2022: Ecodesign for sustainable products https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_BRI(2022)733524

European Aluminium: Ecodesign Regulation for Sustainable Products. European Aluminium’s first reactions to the Commission’s proposal (21 June 2022) https://www.european-aluminium.eu/media/3584/2022-06-21-european-aluminium_ecodesign_consultation.pdf

EPRS: Briefing, June 2022: Setting ecodesign requirements for sustainable products - Initial Appraisal of a European Commission Impact Assessment https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_BRI(2022)730347

Anthesis Group: Insights, 14/07/2022: The EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation: What It Means for Businesses https://www.anthesisgroup.com/ecodesign-sustainable-products-regulation/

BEUC: Ecodesign for sustainable products regulation - Key points for consumers (5 September 2022) https://www.beuc.eu/sites/default/files/publications/BEUC-X-2022-083_Key_Points_on_Ecodesign_for_sustainable_products_regulation.pdf

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News

The Guardian, 30/03/2022: EU wants to force fashion firms to make clothes more durable and recyclable https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/mar/30/eu-wants-to-force-fashion-firms-to-make-clothes-more-durable-and-recyclable

EUObserver, 30/03/2022: EU pushes to end throw-away culture and fast fashion https://euobserver.com/green-economy/154623

EurActiv, 04/10/2022: EU ministers challenge Commission’s ‘green products’ regulation https://www.euractiv.com/section/circular-economy/news/eu-ministers-challenge-commissions-green-products-regulation/

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Official

EUR-LEX: SWD(2022)81: Staff Working Document accompanying the Proposal - Subsidiarity Grid https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=SWD:2022:81:FIN

EUR-LEX: SWD(2022)82: Staff Working Document accompanying the Proposal - Impact Assessment https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=SWD:2022:82:FIN

EUR-LEX: SWD(2022)83: Staff Working Document accompanying the Proposal - Executive Summary of the Impact Assessment https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=SWD:2022:83:FIN

European Parliament: Legislative Observatory: Procedure File for Proposal on Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (2022/0095(COD)) https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/ficheprocedure.do?reference=2022/0095(COD)

European Parliament: Legislative Train Schedule: Ecodesign requirements for sustainable products https://www.europarl.europa.eu/legislative-train/theme-a-european-green-deal/file-sustainable-products-initiative

European Commission: Ecodesign for sustainable products https://ec.europa.eu/info/energy-climate-change-environment/standards-tools-and-labels/products-labelling-rules-and-requirements/sustainable-products/ecodesign-sustainable-products_en

European Commission: Press Release, 30/03/2022: Green Deal: New proposals to make sustainable products the norm and boost Europe's resource independence https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_22_2013

European Commission: Questions and Answers: Sustainable Products Initiative (30 March 2022) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_22_2014

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