This regulation aims to significantly improve the circularity, energy performance, and environmental sustainability of products on the European market. It represents a major step forward in protecting our planet, promoting more sustainable business models, and strengthening the competitiveness and resilience of the EU economy. The new regulation also provides the groundwork for the introduction of battery passports – a major enabler of automotive sustainability.
Framework and objectives
The new regulation replaces Directive 2009/125/EC and, as the EU says, “establishes a framework for setting ecodesign requirements for various product groups.”
The objectives of the regulation include:
- Improving the durability, reusability, repairability, and energy efficiency of products.
- Reducing the presence of harmful substances in products while increasing their recycled content.
- Facilitating the remanufacturing and recycling of products.
- Creating rules regarding products’ carbon emissions and environmental footprints.
- Increasing the availability of information about product sustainability.
A key innovation in this regulation is the introduction of a digital product passport (DPP). This will provide information on technical performance, materials, repair and recycling capabilities, and environmental impacts throughout the product lifecycle.
The information from the DPP will be accessible electronically, enabling consumers, manufacturers, and authorities to make decisions that take into account product sustainability, circularity, and regulatory compliance.