EU Council adopts ecodesign; bans destruction of unsold textile

This new regulation replaces the existing ecodesign directive and broadens its scope to encompass all goods placed on the EU market, beyond just energy products. This approval marks the final step in the decision-making process.

To encourage the public purchase of green products, ecodesign criteria will be applied in public procurement. It will also align with the Digital Services Act for products sold online.

The regulation applies to a wide array of products, with exceptions such as cars and defence-related items. It introduces several new requirements, including product durability, reusability, upgradability, reparability, and energy and resource efficiency.

Additionally, it sets rules regarding substances that inhibit circularity, recycled content, remanufacturing, recycling, and environmental footprints. The regulation also mandates the inclusion of a Digital Product Passport, the European Council said in a press release.

Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Economy and Employment, Pierre-Yves Dermagne, highlighted the importance of the regulation: "With the ecodesign regulation, we create the right incentives for the industry to think circular from the very design conception of the products they plan to produce and sell in the EU."

Following the Council’s approval, the legislative act will be signed by the President of the European Parliament and the President of the Council. It will then be published in the Official Journal of the European Union and will come into force 20 days after publication. The regulation will apply 24 months after it enters into force.

The Ecodesign Directive 2009/125/EC previously established energy efficiency requirements for 31 product groups, saving €120 billion (~$130.58 billion) in energy expenditure and reducing annual energy consumption by 10 per cent for the covered products. The new regulation was proposed by the Commission on March 30, 2022, with the Council adopting its general approach on May 23, 2023 and reaching a provisional agreement with the Parliament on December 4, 2023.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KD)