Ecodesign

Sustainable Products Initiative
The European Commission recently announced an inception roadmap consultation for the development of a Sustainable Products Initiative. The goal is to revise and expand the Ecodesign Directive, which currently only covers energy-related products such as electronics and white goods, to include other key areas of the Circular Economy Action Plan, such as furniture and textiles. The consultation period concluded on 2 November 2020.

Substantiation of green claims initiative
As part of the European Green Deal and the Circular Economy Action Plan, the European Commission aims to challenge “green washing” of products. The E.C. wants claims of environmental benefits to be substantiated by using a harmonised Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology, which would replace the lifecycle analysis. This would create a list of authorised environmental claims, for example, in the use of E.U. Ecolabel. Non-authorised environmental claims, i.e. those which have not been substantiated and approved, will be banned.

In the first quarter of 2021, a public consultation is expected to be held on the revision of the Ecodesign Directive. Adoption of the green claims initiative is expected in the second quarter of 2021.

Sustainability 
Regulatory Affairs