A consultancy has developed a methodology for setting standard European eco-design requirements for a range of common appliances. The study, which was ordered by the European Commission, represents a first step in implementing the EU's energy-using products (EUP) directive passed in July.
The study's final draft was presented to experts this week at a meeting in Brussels. Once the methodology is finalised the consultants will move on to propose specific policy options for implementing the directive, which member states must transpose into national law by 11 August 2007.
The EUP directive requires specific eco-design requirements to be developed for priority products sold at high volumes and responsible for significant environmental impacts. These requirements must not entail high costs or harm EU industry competitiveness.
The methodology now proposed is meant to help identify product designs that maximise environmental benefits at least cost. To achieve this the study proposes a threshold value known as "least life cycle cost".
The next step of the study is to estimate what environmental gain could be achieved according to scenarios based on business-as-usual, command-and-control and voluntary agreement approaches.
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Extra info :
- Projectgroep Productstudies (VITO)