Ecodesign Regulation: agreement reached

On 5 December, the European Council and Parliament struck a provisional agreement in the trilogue negotiation on the Ecodesign Regulation.

The new Regulation will replace the existing Directive from 2009 and broaden its scope to include also non-energy-related products.

The Regulation establishes a harmonised framework that sets requirements for specific product groups to increase their energy- and resource-efficiency, as well as improving their durability, reliability, reusability, upgradability, reparability, recyclability, and maintenance.

The specific requirements for product groups or technologies will be proposed by the European Commission via delegated acts.

The establishment of performance and information requirements will thus be an ongoing process by the Commission.

It has already announced that priority will be given to highly impactful products, such as textiles, furniture, iron and steel, aluminium, tyres, paints, lubricants and chemicals, as well as energy related products, ICT products and other electronics.

Additionally, the Regulation implements measures to end the destruction of unsold consumer products, whereas companies will have to take measures to prevent this practice. A ban on the destruction of unsold textiles and footwear products was directly instated by the Regulation.

Parliament and Council will now have to formally adopt the Regulation, after which it can enter into force after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.