On March 30, 2022, the European Commission published the Sustainable Products Initiative, aimed at making all products on the EU market more durable, reusable, repairable, recyclable and energy efficient. The Initiative also extends the scope of circularity requirements to a broader range of goods, in the attempt of addressing the challenges related to environmental impacts and resource-use while renewing the overall European approach to product policy.
«Expanding the Ecodesign Directive to a great variety of goods with no direct correlation, might risk hampering the proven efficacy of the legislation – commented Paolo Falcioni, AppliA Europe director general -. Instead, the sector has been advocating for the adoption of a parallel legislation, with appropriate methodologies, that takes inspiration from the good practices of the existing Ecodesign. The application of measurable and verifiable parameters on products, combined with a transparent methodology, have been key in the success of its implementation».
He also added that «whilst there are already a number of product legislations in place, any overlapping or duplication must be avoided in order to ensure legal-certainty and secure the ability of industry players to innovate while also bringing about environmental benefits. The advent of multiple EU’s proposed burdensome regulations, often establishing double or cascade requirements on a single product category, is in fact detrimental to a smooth legislative process. While the Initiative is a promising solution towards a policy landscape where sustainable products are the norm, it is key to move towards a more coherent EU policy framework for a circular economy that preserves the EU Single Market, competition, and innovation, at all levels».