Sustainable consumption and production
Sustainable growth is one of the main objectives of the European Union (EU). In a period of rapid climate change and growing demand for energy and resources, the EU has introduced a range of policies and initiatives aimed at sustainable consumption and production. Under the European Green Deal and, in particular, the circular economy action plan, a sustainable product policy legislative initiative was announced to make products fit for a climate-neutral, resource-efficient and circular economy.
Legal basis
Articles 191 to 193 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
Objectives and achievements
A. Strategies towards sustainable consumption and production
In July 2008, the Commission proposed a package of actions and proposals on sustainable consumption and production (SCP) and the sustainable industrial policy. It aimed to improve the environmental performance of products throughout their life cycle, to increase consumer awareness and demand for sustainable goods and production technologies, to promote innovation in EU industry and to address international aspects, such as trade and standards. The SCP action plan led to initiatives in the following areas: extension of the Eco-design Directive, revision of the Ecolabel Regulation, revision of the Eco-management and Audit Regulation, legislation on green public procurement, the Resource Efficiency Roadmap, and the eco-innovation action plan.
The EU’s Green Deal took sustainable consumption and production one step further, in particular with the 2020 Circular Economy Action Plan and its sustainable product policy framework. Two of its main objectives are to make sustainable products the norm in the EU and to empower consumers and public buyers to prioritise sustainable consumption. This framework encompasses the following proposals, among others:
- A regulation for the eco-design for sustainable products;
- The directive on empowering consumers for the green transition;
- The directive on green claims;
- The directive on common rules promoting the repair of goods.
B. Ecolabelling and energy labelling
The European Ecolabel is a voluntary scheme that recognises products and services that meet certain environmental standards. Established in 1992, it features a flower logo to help consumers identify eco-friendly products easily. The Ecolabel system considers the product’s entire life cycle, and the label has been awarded to cleaning products, appliances, paper products, clothing, home and garden products, lubricants, personal and animal care products, and to services such as tourist accommodation. The 2009 revision of the Ecolabel Regulation aimed to reduce the costs and bureaucracy. The Commission evaluated (with a ‘fitness check’) the scheme in 2017 and found the regulation to be relevant and consistent, but to have limitations, including low uptake in some sectors and potential barriers due to compliance costs. Nevertheless, the label gives manufacturers an incentive to enhance their products’ environmental performance.
On 22 March 2023, the Commission proposed a directive on new rules on substantiating green claims with a view to tackling misleading environmental claims and the proliferation of public and private environmental labels. Together with the proposal for a directive on empowering consumers for the green transition, the new rules establish a framework for environmental claims and labels with the aim of addressing greenwashing.
Based on Directive 92/75/EEC, the EU introduced an energy labelling scheme for household appliances (white goods). The EU Energy Label has become a widely recognised and respected guide for manufacturers and consumers. It was revised in 2010 to extend its scope to a wider range of products. In 2017, new requirements were set under Regulation (EU) 2017/1369. As of 2021, five product groups (fridges, dishwashers, washing machines, TVs and lamps) were ‘rescaled’ to a new energy efficiency rating system, with the top ‘A’ class initially left empty to encourage the development of even more energy efficient models. This change aims to help consumers to distinguish more clearly between the most energy efficient products.
C. Eco-design and sustainable product policies
The Eco-design Directive ensures the technical improvement of products. In 2024, following the Circular Economy Action Plan and under the European Green Deal, the Ecodesign and Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) entered into force, replacing the Ecodesign Directive 2009/125/EC. It establishes a framework for setting ecodesign requirements on specific product groups by introducing two major changes to previous legislation: Firstly, it no longer applies only to energy-related products, but to all physical products with very few exemptions. Secondly, the ESPR enables the setting of performance and information rules known as ‘ecodesign requirements’. New features of the ESPR are the ‘Digital Product Passport’, a ban of the destruction of unsold textiles and footwear and mandatory green public procurement for certain products.
The ‘right to repair’ is a core element of the directive on common rules promoting the repair of goods, which entered into force on 30 July 2024. It obliges manufacturers to provide timely and cost-effective repair services and inform consumers about their right to repair defective goods rather than replace them.
D. Eco-management and Audit Scheme (EMAS)
EMAS is a management tool enabling companies and other organisations to evaluate, report and improve their environmental performance. In 2009, EMAS underwent a significant change with the adoption of the new EMAS Regulation, aimed at encouraging organisations to register with EMAS. This revision of the EMAS Regulation has improved the scheme’s applicability and credibility and strengthened its visibility and outreach. In 2017, Annexes I, II and III to the EMAS Regulation were amended by Regulation (EU) 2017/1505 to include the changes associated with the revision of the ISO 14001:2015 standard.
E. Green public procurement (GPP)
GPP is a voluntary policy that helps public authorities purchase goods and services with a reduced environmental impact. It aims to drive the market towards greener products and services and reduce the environmental impacts of public authorities’ activities. The EU adopted a number of directives in this area in 2004 (Directives 2004/18/EC and 2004/17/EC) and 2014. The three directives adopted in February 2014 as part of the reform of public procurement under the Single Market Act – Directives 2014/24/EU (the Classic Directive), 2014/25/EU (the Utilities Directive) and 2014/23/EU (the Concessions Directive) – simplify the relevant procedures and encourage the wider use of GPP. In this way, they support the shift towards a resource-efficient and low-carbon economy. These directives promote innovation, resource efficiency and a low-carbon economy. EU countries implement them through national action plans.
In 2008, the Commission published a communication entitled ‘Public procurement for a better environment’, which set out a number of measures to be taken to support the implementation of GPP by Member States and individual contracting authorities. As a result, EU GPP criteria have been developed as part of the voluntary approach to GPP. To date, 21 sets of GPP criteria have been published for selected sectors such as transport, office IT equipment, cleaning products and services, construction, thermal insulation, and gardening products and services.
F. Eco-innovation action plan (EcoAP)
The EcoAP launched by the Commission in December 2011 is the successor to the environmental technologies action plan, aimed at boosting the development and use of environmental technologies and improving European competitiveness in this area. The EcoAP is mainly linked to the Innovation Union flagship initiative of the Europe 2020 strategy. It is intended to expand the focus of innovation policies towards green technologies and eco-innovation and to highlight the role of environmental policy as a factor for economic growth. It also targets specific eco-innovation barriers and opportunities – especially those not covered by more general innovation policies. The EcoAP promotes eco-innovation through environmental policy, financial support for small and medium-sized enterprises, international collaboration, new standards, and skill development.
In recent years, many of the EcoAP goals have contributed to the circular economy. Eco-innovation is key to delivering many aspects of the circular economy: industrial symbiosis or ecologies, cradle-to-cradle design and new, innovative business models, etc. (2.5.6). The Eco-Innovation Index evaluates the eco-innovation achievements of Member States using a measurement framework consisting of 12 indicators.
Role of the European Parliament
Parliament has expressed its support for the SCP Action Plan on many occasions. During the 2009 revision of the Eco-design Directive, Parliament successfully strengthened the concept of life cycle analysis, and in particular the notion of resource and material efficiency.
In its resolution of 10 February 2021 on the new Circular Economy Action Plan, Parliament underlined, among other things, that sustainable, circular, safe and non-toxic products and materials should become the norm in the EU market and not the exception, and should be seen as the default choice, which is attractive, affordable and accessible for all consumers.
Parliament has played a significant role in the successive introduction of greener provisions in the public procurement directives. In the last revision of these directives, adopted in 2014, Parliament supported, inter alia, the introduction of the new ‘most economically advantageous tender’ criterion in the award procedure. This enables public authorities to put more emphasis on quality, environmental considerations, social aspects and innovation, while still taking into account the price and life cycle cost of what is procured.
In 2004, Parliament established an environmental management system in accordance with EMAS. It obtained ISO 14001.2004 certification and EMAS registration in 2007. In 2019, Parliament set a goal to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per person by at least 40 % by 2024 as compared with 2006, and to track other climate performance indicators, such as emissions from the transport of persons, renewable energy use and energy consumption. According to the 2024 EMAS environmental statement, Parliament’s GHG emissions per person had already dropped by 47% between 2006 and 2023. In November 2024, Parliament decided to take additional measures to improve its environmental policy and set new targets for 2024-2029, including:
- Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 % by 2029 (compared to 2006)
- Decreasing energy consumption by 55 % (compared to 2012)
- Increasing renewable energy sources to 80% of total energy consumption
- Reducing paper consumption by 85 % (compared to 2012)
- Improving biodiversity by tracking and promoting green spaces, recycling, and local plant species.
Parliament also applies a GPP policy. In June 2017, Parliament published a study on GPP, which examines the current use and opportunities of GPP in the EU in the context of, and as a follow-up to, the Commission’s EU action plan for the circular economy. The study identified environmental benefits for citizens, as well as gains for employment and the overall economy at European level.
The EcoAP was welcomed by Parliament in its resolution of 17 October 2013. Parliament emphasised the potential synergy effects of eco-innovation for sustainable job creation, environmental protection and the reduction of economic dependency. Furthermore, the resolution emphasised the cross-cutting policy character of eco-innovation and the need to mainstream eco-innovation in all policy areas.
In its resolution of 4 July 2017 entitled ‘A longer lifetime for products: benefits for consumers and companies’, Parliament called on the Commission to improve product durability information by considering launching a voluntary European label covering, in particular, the product’s durability, eco-design features, upgradeability in line with technical progress and reparability.
In its resolution of 31 May 2018 on the implementation of the Eco-design Directive (2009/125/EC), Parliament called on the Commission to deploy sufficient resources for the eco-design process, given the significant benefits of the legislation to the EU. It also asked the Commission to assess whether the current eco-design methodology could be used for other product categories in addition to energy-related products and to come forward with proposals for new legislation.
Although under EMAS Parliament has been offsetting all of its irreducible emissions since 2016, making it the only 100% carbon neutral EU institution, in its resolution of 14 May 2020 it stated that it would lead by example and instructed its Bureau to develop a strategy for becoming carbon-neutral by 2030 through domestic measures (without offsetting). Parliament’s study on carbon neutrality, published in September 2020, describes short-, medium- and long-term GHG emission reduction measures that would enable Parliament to drastically decrease its carbon footprint to reach carbon neutrality.
For more information on this topic, please see the website of the Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety (ENVI).
Anne Ploeger