The current Directive targets ecodesign requirements for energy-related products. The Directive sets minimum legal requirements for placing products on the market, which may seem out of direct control of local authorities.

On 30 March 2022, the Commission published a proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for setting ecodesign requirements for sustainable products and repealing Directive 2009/125/EC (Text with EEA relevance). The proposal establishes a framework to set ecodesign requirements for specific product groups to significantly improve their circularity, energy performance and other environmental sustainability aspects. It will enable the setting of performance and information requirements for almost all categories of physical goods placed on the EU market.

The framework will allow for the setting of a wide range of requirements, including on:
 

• product durability, reusability, upgradability and reparability;
• presence of substances that inhibit circularity;
• energy and resource efficiency;
• recycled content;
• remanufacturing and recycling;
• carbon and environmental footprints;
• information requirements, including a Digital Product Passport.

The new ‘Digital Product Passport’ will provide information about products’ environmental sustainability. It should help consumers and businesses make informed choices when purchasing products, facilitate repairs and recycling, and improve transparency about products’ life cycle impacts on the environment. The Digital Product Passport should also help public authorities to better perform checks and controls.

In the future, if the new Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation confirms the definition of the requirements for Green Public Procurement, this will also affect local authorities. Local authorities may also have an active role when they are in charge of policy enforcement, as the enforcement of the policy should also be improved through mandatory inspection plans.

More information on rules and requirements for ecodesign can be found here: https://commission.europa.eu/energy-climate-change-environment/standards-tools-and-labels/products-labelling-rules-and-requirements/energy-label-and-ecodesign/rules-and-requirements_en and here https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/single-market/european-standards/harmonised-standards/ecodesign_en

• Date of document: 21/10/2009
• Date of effect: 20/11/2009; Entry into force Date pub. + 20 See Art 25
• Date of transposition: 20/11/2010; At the latest See Art 23
• Date of end of validity: No end date