In December 1998, the European Commission initiated a broad discussion on Integrated Product Policy (IPP) and this can be considered as the starting point for discussions on product oriented policies. Later on, in 1999, the Informal Council in Weimar endorsed the idea of such a policy and decided on some positive guidelines. In February 2001 the European Commission published a gree n paper (http://www.eeb.org/activities/product_policy/Green-Paper-on-IPP-Feb-2001.pdf) on a European Integrated Product Policy and the EEB is actively engaged in encouraging the development of this policy process. The political ambition on IPP was strongly reinforced by the Conclusions of t he Council of Environme nt Ministers (see folder IPP) in Gothenburg in June 2001.

• Convert the Integrated Product Policy discussion into concrete measures, for example on greening public procurement and other instruments to increase the market share of ecolabelled products (e.g. low VAT).

• Ongoing involvement in the Ecolabel official process, with the aim of providing input to the discussion on new products, as indicated by the Ecolabel workplan 2002-2004.

• Convert the Integrated Product Policy discussion into concrete measures, for example - setting concrete objectives, targets and indicators, laying down producers’ responsibility to manufacture environmentally sound products and pushing forward instruments to increase the market share of ecological products (e.g. low VAT on Ecolabeled products and greening public procurement).

• Focus Product Policy on the consideration of function provided rather than product consumed and balance the Product Policy discussion with the Consumption aspect - with the aim of a concrete proposal from the European Institutions on Limiting Consumption.

• Ensure coherency and synergy between individual product policies, IPP and other Thematic Strategies such as Waste Prevention and Recycling and Sustainable Use of Natural Resources.

Activities :

• Co-ordination of an EEB working group, likely in combination with Resource Efficiency. Two meetings if needed.

• Participate in the follow-up of the White Paper on IPP after its publishing, including active discussion on a more concrete NGO vision on IPP and Consumption policy. Ensure coherency between the IPP and individual product initiatives such as that on Electrical and Electronic Equipment.

• Contribute to the stakeholder discussion on the Sustainable Use of Natural Resources

• Continuation of the practical involvement of the EEB in the Ecolabel scheme.

• To write an evaluation of the overall performance of the EU Ecolabel in the last 10 years.