Ecodesign Regulation: Council and Parliament find agreement

The European Council and European Parliament have reached an agreement on the Ecodesign Regulation. The new regulation will replace the existing Ecodesign Directive from 2009 and extend the scope of the legislation.

The regulation will create a harmonised legal framework that sets requirements for certain product groups.

In the future, these product groups must not only be designed to be energy and resource efficient, but also fulfil criteria related to durability, reliability, reusability, retrofittability and reparability.

The agreement empowers the Commission to adopt specific ecodesign requirements for products and product groups by means of delegated acts.

Accordingly, the development of the dedicated requirements will be an ongoing process by the Commission. Once the delegated acts are adopted, industry and national administrations will have 18 months to implement these rules.

The regulation also introduces a direct ban on the destruction of textiles and footwear. This ban will be applicable two years after the entry into force of the regulation. Small and micro-enterprises are exempt from this ban, while medium size companies will benefit from a 6-year exemption.

The regulation will facilitate the movement of products within the EU internal market and create a more harmonised single market.

In addition, products will have to be equipped with a digital product passport containing information on their environmental sustainability. This should encourage buyers to make more conscious purchasing decisions.

The agreement must now be approved and formally adopted by both institutions.