Decoding the ecodesign requirements for sustainable products and other EU environmental policies with standards

The Official Journal has published the new Commission Proposal for a Regulation establishing a framework for setting ecodesign requirements for sustainable products. This proposal, will continue to rely on harmonised standards  the references of which have been published in the Official Journal of the European Union. But it will allow the use of common specification, or other relevant technical specifications.

The proposal for ecodesign requirements for sustainable products lays down a framework for setting ecodesign requirements based on the sustainability and circularity aspects listed in the Circular Economy Action Plan. This includes:

• product durability,
• reusability,
• upgradability and reparability,
• the presence of substances of concern in products,
• product energy and resource efficiency,
• the recycled content of products,
• product remanufacturing and high-quality recycling, and
• reducing products’ carbon and environmental footprints.

This new proposed Regulation for Ecodesign broadens the scope of the Ecodesign Directive both in terms of products and new kinds of requirements.

This Regulation will set requirements where existing legislation does not, or where it insufficiently addresses environmental sustainability aspects. It will only apply to products not covered by existing legislation, or when legislation does not sufficiently address the sustainability of those products. In that context, it is important to take into account that product-specific requirements under this Regulation will be included in delegated acts and as such cannot supersede requirements set through legislative acts such as existing directives or regulations.

This proposed regulation seeks to address the most detrimental environmental impacts of products, setting ecodesign requirements based on the sustainability and circularity aspects listed in the Circular Economy Action Plan. And it will complement other initiatives developed under the Green Deal and the Green and Digital Transition as considered in the EU Industrial Strategy.