Project Description
The overall goal of this three-year project is to ensure that the
European consumer points of view are well represented in
the preparatory process leading to Implementing Measures under the
Ecodesign Directive, both in the project phase of the various preparatory studies
and in the EuP Consultation Forum.
With the
Ecodesign Directive
(2009/125/EC), the European Commission is
addressing energy-using and energy-related products which have a considerable impact on the
energy consumption in the internal market. The ecodesign process will
address ways to improve the environmental performance of the products by
assessing the environmental aspects over the entire life cycle, taking
into consideration which improvement potential is technically feasible
and possible, and what the respective implications are; e.g. in terms of
life cycle costs.
Mandatory requirements for product design, such as energy efficiency,
hazardous substances and waste treatment, will have a considerable impact
on many day to day consumer products, such as washing machines, TVs or
vacuum cleaners.
Following a call for tender, the European Commission contracted a
consortium of five organisations to provide the consumer view and
expertise on the ecodesign requirements.
These are:
- Öko-Institut e.V., Institute for Applied Ecology (project management and technical consultant)
- BEUC, the European Consumers’ Organisation (consumer representation)
- ANEC, the European consumer voice in standardisation (consumer representation)
- ICRT, International Consumer Research & Testing Ltd. (technical advice)
- CBS, Copenhagen Business School (scientific advice)
Within the project’s three-year duration the consortium will provide
input and expertise to the contractors of the preparatory studies and to
the European Commission on approximately 25 different product groups. ANEC and BEUC
are participating in the Consultation Forum meetings and providing
political and technical input in order to ensure that consumer’s
interests are taken into account.
A detailed project description can be downloaded here
