On Thursday 15 June, the European Parliament’s Committee on the Environment (ENVI) expressed its support for the proposal for a framework regulation on Ecodesign for Sustainable Products (ESPR), with the aim of making sustainable products the norm and encouraging sustainable consumption.
By adopting the report by Alessandra Moretti (S&D, Italy) by 68 votes to 12, with 8 abstentions, MEPs have strengthened the scope of this legislation, which will establish a framework for setting ecodesign and information requirements. The Council of the EU adopted its position at the end of May (see EUROPE 13185/1).
According to the report, premature obsolescence must be prohibited: manufacturers must therefore not limit the lifespan of a product by design and must make software updates, consumables, spare parts and accessories available for an adequate period.
Products must be easy to repair and consumers must have access to repair information, say MEPs. In so doing, they echo demands made in other legislation, such as the directive aimed at empowering consumers in the green transition.
MEPs want consumers to be able to compare digital product passports on an online platform.
According to the report, economic operators that destroy unsold products should declare the annual number and percentage of products scrapped, as well as the reasons for this practice. MEPs want the Commission to use this as a basis for identifying products the destruction of which should be banned.
They are also calling for a ban on the destruction of unsold textiles and shoes, as well as electrical and electronic equipment, one year after the law comes into force.
They want the priority products in the Commission’s first working plan to include iron, steel, aluminium, textiles - particularly clothing and footwear - furniture, tyres, detergents, paints, lubricants and chemicals (see EUROPE 13112/17).
To see the report voted through, go to https://aeur.eu/f/7hp (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)