The European Parliament and Council have reached a provisional agreement on the proposal to establish a new “Ecodesign” framework, which will establish sustainability requirements for almost all products sold in the EU, as reported by ESG Today on December 5. The framework will allow the European Commission to set a wide range of requirements, including product durability, reusability, upgradability, and reparability, the presence of substances that inhibit circularity, energy and resource efficiency, recycled content, remanufacturing and recycling, and products’ carbon and environmental footprints. Furthermore, under the proposed regulations, goods must be sold with a “digital product passport” that provides information about products’ environmental sustainability. The measure is designed to help consumers make informed choices about their purchases.

A crucial provision outlined in the new agreement is a ban on the destruction of unsold clothing and footwear. The ban will apply to large retail groups two years after the law enters into force. Medium-size companies will have a six-year exemption, while smaller firms are free from this limitation. These rules aim to mitigate the environmental impact of “fast fashion” and reduce waste in the textile industry, which has the fourth-highest impact on the environment and climate change behind food in Europe, housing, and transport. Additionally, the agreement also allows the Commission to extend the ban to encompass unsold products beyond clothing and footwear.

Sources:

https://www.esgtoday.com/eu-lawmakers-reach-deal-on-sustainable-product-rules/

https://commission.europa.eu/energy-climate-change-environment/standards-tools-and-labels/products-labelling-rules-and-requirements/sustainable-products/ecodesign-sustainable-products-regulation_en

https://www.dw.com/en/eu-approves-ban-on-destruction-of-unsold-clothing/a-67641000

https://www.barrons.com/news/eu-approves-ban-on-destruction-of-unsold-clothing-18051565