Making Sustainable Products the Norm: EEB’s Vision for Europe’s Circular Economy

The European Environmental Bureau (EEB) is advocating for robust new EU legislation under the upcoming Sustainable Products Initiative (SPI), aimed at establishing sustainable products as the standard across Europe. This initiative, promised in the European Commission’s 2020 Circular Economy Action Plan and expected by the end of 2021, seeks to overhaul product policy by embedding environmental and social responsibility throughout supply chains.

Key Features of the Sustainable Products Initiative

• Repairability and Durability: Policies targeting product design will encourage longer-lasting goods, such as repairable smartphones and durable clothing, shifting away from disposable consumption habits.
• Ban on Wasteful Practices: Measures like prohibiting the destruction of unsold goods aim to reduce waste and promote resource efficiency.
• Combatting Greenwashing: The initiative will introduce legal frameworks to ensure transparency and credibility in environmental claims, protecting consumers from misleading marketing.
• Social and Environmental Due Diligence: EEB calls for integrating stringent environmental and social criteria into product standards to safeguard both people and planet.
• Hazardous Substance Substitution: Encouraging the replacement of harmful chemicals in everyday products to reduce health and environmental risks.

Introducing a Centralized Product Sustainability Database

A groundbreaking aspect of SPI is the proposed creation of an EU-wide “product passport” database. This resource will provide comprehensive, accessible information on each product’s sustainability profile, including:

• Repairability and durability ratings
• Resource use efficiency
• Carbon footprint data
• Chemical content disclosures
• Compliance with due diligence requirements

This transparency tool is designed to empower consumers to make informed, responsible purchasing decisions, thereby driving market demand for genuinely sustainable products.

EEB’s Role and Further Research

Beyond advocating for ambitious legislation, the EEB has conducted detailed analyses exploring how to effectively incorporate social and environmental due diligence, hazardous substance substitution, and consumer education into the SPI framework. Their position paper outlines these recommendations as essential for protecting consumers and advancing Europe’s transition to a truly circular economy.

Additional Resources

• EEB’s policy briefing on unlocking the potential of sustainable public procurement
• Recent letters and responses addressing related EU environmental policies (available in EEB’s document library)

About the European Environmental Bureau (EEB): The EEB is a leading federation of environmental citizens’ organizations, headquartered in Brussels, dedicated to influencing EU policies to promote sustainability. Supported by the European Union, EEB champions ambitious environmental legislation rooted in scientific analysis and public accountability.

For more information, contact EEB at eeb@eeb.org or visit their website.

Published: 14 June 2021 | Source: European Environmental Bureau

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