A Front-Runner Approach for EU product policy

Abstract

In 2020, the European Commission has announced to propose a Sustainable Product Policy for the EU which shall ensure that the performance of front-runners in sustainability progressively becomes the norm. In addition, the European Commission has re-emphasised the necessity to significantly improve the effectiveness of the current Ecodesign framework for energy-related products. With this paper, we present an initial outline of a policy approach which we call the "EU front-runner approach". The approach aims at installing a regulatory framework which enables a semi-automated, progressive adaptation of ecodesign minimum requirements for products. It builds on performance levels of the best products available on the market by aggregating information in a database. The "front-runner approach" could first be applied to progressively adapt product-related minimum energy-efficiency requirements. This way it would serve as a starting point to introduce this concept to the EU policy arena. While the approach can be applied for energy efficiency, it is neither limited to energy-related products nor to energy-related requirements. It can be applied to the wide range of non-energy related products within the scope of the upcoming Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) as well as to non-energy-related requirements, such as minimum requirements for durability, reparability, recyclability and recycled content. Quelle: Scientific opinion paper

This paper presents an initial outline of a policy approach called “EU front-runner approach”. It aims at installing a regulatory framework which enables a semi-automated, progressive adaptation of ecodesign minimum requirements for products. It builds on performance levels of the best products available on the market by aggregating information in a database. The application of the “EU front-runner approach” to EU Product Policy is being illustrated for energy-efficiency requirements. In this way it serves as a starting point to introduce our initial thoughts and ideas to the EU policy arena and to kick-start the discussion and joint efforts.