European Commission

DG ENTR Consumer Goods Directorate

EU COMMISSION ACTION PLAN FOR

SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION,
PRODUCTION AND INDUSTRY

EDA Conference Mr. Michel Coomans

Porto European Commission
17 October 2008 Food Industry Unit
 EU Sustainable Development Strategy

• LISBON STRATEGY significant results

• THE TIME FOR SUSTAINABILITY IS NOW

• ACTION PLAN

2
 Background

• Current consumption / production patterns

have a significant environmental impact
(i.e. greenhouse emissions, pollution, etc)

• European Commission proposed a set of

actions with the aim of:

Improving environmental performance of products

Stimulating demand for more sustainable goods and
production technologies

Promoting sustainable production and consumption at the
international level

3
 List of Actions 1

• Ecodesign requirements for more products

• Reinforced Energy and Environmental
Labelling
• Incentives and Public Procurement for High-
Performing Products
• Green Public Procurement Practices
• Consistent Product Data and Methodologies

4
 List of Actions 2

• Work with Retailers and Consumers

• Supporting Resource Efficiency, Eco-
innovation and Enhancing the Environmental
Potential of Industry (Including SMEs)
• Promoting Sustainable Production and
Consumption Internationally

5
 Smarter Consumption and Better Products

The Ecodesign Directive (2005/32/EC)

• CURRENT SCOPE: The Directive applies only
to energy-using products
• PROPOSED EXTENSION OF SCOPE: to all
energy related products with the exception of
means of transport already subject to
separate policies
• VOLUNTARY BENCHMARKING OF
ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE
6
 Smarter Consumption and Better Products

The Energy Labelling Directive (92/75/EC)

• CURRENT SCOPE: Obligation of

manufacturers/retailers to provide labels indicating
the energy consumption of household appliances
• PROPOSED EXTENSION OF SCOPE: to wider
range of products (incl. Energy-using,energy-related
products)
• INCENTIVE FOR INDUSTRY: less costly and
bureaucratic system
• FOOD AND DRINK PRODUCTS
7
 Smarter Consumption and Better Products

Incentives and Public Procurement for High-

Performing Products

• To qualify a certain level of environmental

performance will be needed

• Incentives decided by member states

• Need for some harmonisation

8
 Smarter Consumption and Better Products

Green Public Procurement Practices (GPP)

• Voluntary green public procurement

measures

• Guidance from Commission

• Cooperation with Member States

• Monitoring of targets

9
 Smarter Consumption and Better Products

Consistent Product Data and Methodologies

To implement this policy it is necessary to :

• Have consistent and reliable data

• Share data collected under different tools

• Consider use of harmonised standards

10
 Smarter Consumption and Better Products

Work with Retailers and Consumers

• Retailers are in a strong position to influence

sustainable consumption
• A Retail Forum will be set up with the aim of:

Promoting the purchase of more sustainable products

Reducing the environmental footprint of the retail sector and
supply chain

Providing better information for consumers

• The European Commission will also support actions

to increase consumer awareness and help them
make more informed choices
11
 Leaner Production

Supporting Resource Efficiency

• Increase value added by resource efficiency

(In the EU resource productivity improved by 2.2%
per annum in real terms over the past 10 years)

• Monitoring and benchmarking

12
 Leaner Production

Supporting Eco-innovation 1
• Central role of Innovation: According to the
OECD, eco-innovation patents in the EU are on the
rise and the best performing MS have been granting
annually 3.5 patents per billion € of GDP
• Monitoring uptake
• Environmental technology verification
scheme

13
 Leaner Production

Supporting Eco-innovation 2
• New Eco-innovation funding
programme under CIP
- Intelligent Energy Europe
(€730m)
- Marco Polo (€430m)
- Eco-innovation (€195m)
14
 Leaner Production

Enhancing the Environmental Potential of Industry

• Eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS)

• Environmental industries market estimated to be
€1000 billion in 2005 and could reach €2200 billion by 2020

• Initiatives for environmental industries support the

competitiveness of environmental industries and favour their
uptake by traditional industries

• Screening of regulatory barriers and market failures

15
 Leaner Production

Helping SMEs

• Information and resource limitations on SMEs.

• Commission policy measures to support SMEs
between 2005 and 2007 including environmental
performance. BESS Project.
• SBA 2008
• Role of the Enterprise Europe Network in raising
awareness and disseminating know-how.

16
 Global Markets

Promote Sectoral Approaches in

International Climate Negotiations

This can take place via:

• Developing agreements at sectoral level (e.g.

on specific emission reductions or energy efficiency
targets)

• Capacity building in emerging economies

17
 Global Markets

Promote Good Practice

• Promotion of Sustainable Consumption and
Production policies within the U N
Sustainable Consumption and Production
Framework (Marrakesh Process).
• Actions to strengthen partnerships and
support international roundtables and panels.
• Establishment of the International
Partnership for Cooperation on Energy
Efficiency (IPEEC).

18
 Global Markets

Promote International Trade

Promote the elimination of tariffs in trade in

low carbon technologies and environmentally
friendly products and services.

19
 Proposed Legislative Changes and Roadmap

The Action Plan gives rise to the following

Legislative Proposals

• Proposal for the extension of the Ecodesign Directive

• Proposal for the revision of the Ecolabel Regulation
• Proposal for the revision of the EMAS Regulation
• Communication on Green Public Procurement
• Proposal for the revision of the Energy Labelling
Directive
• Proposal for a Regulation for an Environmental
Technology Verification scheme.

20
 Proposed Legislative Changes and Roadmap

• Co-decision procedure for proposals

• Review /progress report on the

implementation of the Action plan in 2012

• Analyze whether further actions to improve

the energy and environemental performance
of products are needed

21
 Thank you!
Michel Coomans
Michel.Coomans@ec.europa.eu