As of July 18th, the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) is officially in effect.
And this is good news (for people and the planet 🌍). The previous ‘ecodesign directive’ was very successful, but fairly limited in scope as it only targeted electronic devices.
After years of effort from various organizations to expand these ecodesign rules to more product groups, the starting signal is finally here.
❓ Why is this important?
The ESPR extends ambitious ecodesign rules to more products, which will remove the most polluting goods from the market and encourage manufacturers to prioritize the environment. This regulation will ensure that products last longer, are easier to repair, and – when discarded – are recycled.
🌿 What will happen now?
The ESPR will be implemented in phases, with some aspects requiring additional legislation while others take effect immediately:
❌ Ban on the destruction of unsold goods: in 24 months, the first ban will apply to clothing and shoes.
👗 Product requirements: the requirements for various producers will be established in so-called ‘delegated acts.’ Several product groups will be addressed first, including textiles and steel. An ‘Ecodesign Forum’ will be set up for stakeholders to provide input.
For the success of the ESPR, it is important that the implementation proceeds successfully. Therefore, it is necessary to develop robust standards that ensure highly polluting products are removed from the European market and sustainable products become the norm.
