The European Union has introduced a groundbreaking law aimed at enforcing sustainability requirements for a wide array of everyday household products. The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) is now in effect, promising to revolutionize the market by ensuring products are longer-lasting, easier to repair, and more resource-efficient.
Key Features of the ESPR
The ESPR sets stringent guidelines to enhance the sustainability of products. These key objectives include:
- Increasing product durability and reparability.
- Reducing the presence of harmful chemicals.
- Promoting the use of recycled materials.
- Improving energy and resource efficiency.
These measures aim to lower costs and reduce inconvenience for consumers, while simultaneously fostering a competitive market for sustainable products within the EU. By boosting the viability of remanufacturing, refurbishment, and recycling, the ESPR also holds important potential for job creation.
Consumer and Environmental Benefits
Poorly designed, short-lived products burden consumers and the environment. The ESPR builds on the success of the previous Ecodesign Directive, which has already saved EU households over €200 annually by enhancing energy efficiency. The new regulation extends these benefits to a broader range of products, setting comprehensive ecodesign requirements across several domains, such as:
- Product durability and repairability.
- Energy and resource efficiency.
- Recycled content and recyclability.
- Environmental footprint and information transparency.
Digital Product Passport and Waste Reduction
A notable innovation under the ESPR is the Digital Product Passport. This scannable tag will provide consumers with easy access to sustainability information, aiding informed purchasing decisions and extending product lifespans. It will also facilitate better enforcement of legal requirements.
Additionally, the ESPR targets the wasteful practice of destroying unsold consumer products. New measures will include potential obligations on companies to prevent this practice, with a direct ban on the destruction of unsold textiles and footwear, excluding small and medium-sized enterprises during a transition period.
Implementation and Future Steps
The implementation of the ESPR will be gradual, with specific rules tailored to different product groups, such as smartphones, shoes, or tires. The European Commission will publish multiannual working plans, detailing the products and measures to be addressed. The first working plan, expected within nine months, will likely include impactful products like clothes, furniture, steel, aluminum, tires, and ICT products.
The Commission will also establish the Ecodesign Forum to gather stakeholder input throughout the ESPR process.
Official Statements
Maroš Šefčovič, Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal, emphasized the importance of the regulation: “Today we set the bar higher to ensure that resource and energy-efficient products become the norm on the EU market. The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation is a world-leading initiative. Having products that are repairable, recyclable, and increasingly made of recycled materials provides new business opportunities, creates innovative jobs, and offers more value for consumers.”
Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson, added: “EU rules have a proven track record of making everyday household products more energy efficient and have delivered around half of the EU’s energy savings, with a direct impact on consumers’ household bills. Energy efficiency measures are a concrete way for citizens to play an active role in the clean energy transition, and to directly benefit from it.”
Background
The ESPR, proposed on March 30, 2022, is part of the European Commission’s Circular Economy Action Plan under the European Green Deal. It aims to address the important environmental impacts of products throughout their lifecycle, from raw material extraction to disposal. By extending the existing Ecodesign framework, the new regulation seeks to make sustainable products the norm and mitigate their environmental and climate impacts.