EU targets steel and furniture in new plan to make sustainable products "the norm"

Steel and aluminium, textiles (with a focus on apparel), furniture, tyres and mattresses.

These are the product categories being prioritised by the European Commission as it rolls out its new five-year working plan for the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and the Energy Labelling Regulation.

Stéphane Séjourné, Executive Vice-President for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy, calls it a "pivotal moment" and says that, "These ecodesign rules apply to all products placed on our single market, regardless of their origin-country, ensuring that each of them meets the European Union’s ambitious goals."

The plan also introduces measures to improve the repairability of products such as consumer electronics and small household appliances.

Jessika Roswall, Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, says the initiative marks a major step toward making the circular economy a reality on the ground and sustainable products the norm across the EU.

"This will help close the innovation gap, develop lead markets for sustainable products, and accelerate the decarbonisation of key value chains to reinforce the EU’s competitiveness," she says.

Future ecodesign and energy labelling requirements for the selected products will cover two elements: product performance, such as minimum durability, minimum energy and resource-efficiency, and product information, including key product features such as the products' carbon and environmental footprint.