Podcast | Circular economy: the European ecodesign regulation
The European Ecodesign Regulation aims to reduce the environmental impact of products throughout their life cycle, by minimizing energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and waste. A summary of this regulation and its impact for the IT sector. An AdVaes' podcast in French.
An evolving regulation framework
Adopted by the European Parliament on 24 April 2024, this regulation imposes new environmental performance criteria for products marketed in the EU, including durability, reparability and the use of recycled materials.
The regulation framework is established by Directive 2009/125/EC, supplemented by specific regulations and the Energy Labelling Directive. These standards are crucial to saving energy and reducing costs for consumers. According to European Commission figures, the directive, which applies to 31 product groups, will save European consumers around €120 billion on their energy bills by 2021. It has also led to a 10% reduction in annual energy consumption in these product categories.
Higher requirements
The new regulation, known as the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), introduces enhanced requirements to improve the ‘circularity’ of products. It sets standards for durability, reparability, environmental footprint and the use of recycled materials, with the aim of promoting a circular economy. By 2030, these measures could save 132 million tonnes of oil equivalent in primary energy. A central element of the regulation is the Digital Product Passport, a tool providing information on the environmental sustainability of products, thus facilitating recycling and repair.
Issues for the IT sector
For the IT market, these measures mean that electronic devices will have to meet strict criteria for repairability and durability, thereby reducing programmed obsolescence and encouraging the use of recycled materials. This could transform the way digital products are designed and consumed, encouraging more sustainable and responsible practices.
To find out more
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