Ecological Product Policy

What is the EU doing?

During the past decade, the European Union has slowly started to develop a coherent policy framework for Ecological Product Policy. The Commission published a Communication on Integrated Product Policy (IPP) in June 2003. This opted for a more voluntary approach to greener products - with predictably little success.

In 2005, the EU adopted a Directive on Ecodesign of Energy-using Products (EuP) which allows the Commission to set minimum eco-design standards for products allowed on the EU market. Integrating environmental requirements in any product put on the European Market is a way to secure massive environmental gains. This directive is now in the implementation phase and has already allowed the Commission to set minimum energy efficiency standards on a wide range of products and households appliances.

In 2009 the Directive was revised to integrate new product categories: so called Energy related products (such as building materials and water related appliances). The European Commission has also launched new prospective studies to extent the ecodesign initiative to non energy- related products (such as food, furnitures, textiles, etc).

This important Directive is part of the wider Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) action plan produced by the Commission July 2008. The Plan aimed at enhancing synergies between existing policy instruments by:

  • establishing minimum product environmental requirements (EuP Directive, EU standardisation)
  • establishing environmental benchmarks for products (Ecolabel criteria, EuP benchmarks, Energy Label top classes)
  • creating a critical mass to green the EU’s market through: Green Public Procurement; and establishing environmental benchmarks for products.                  

Whilst progress is slow and ambition often limited to the minimum required, the EU’s has put the agenda for sustainable products back on track.

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