Ecodesign for sustainable products regulation enters into force

On the 18^th of July 2024, the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) enters into force. These will set new standards for green products in the EU, prioritizing circularity, energy efficiency and overall sustainability.

The ESPR aims to significantly improve the circularity, energy performance and other environmental sustainability aspects of products on the EU market. By doing so, a significant step will be taken towards better protecting our planet, fostering more sustainable business models and strengthening the overall competitiveness and resilience of the EU economy.

- This regulation, together with the implementation of SSbD, will assure safe and sustainable products on the market, resulting in the facilitation of circular material systems, says Emma Strömberg, Project Coordinator for IRISS.

The ESPR is part of a package of measures that are central to achieving the objectives of the 2020 Circular Economy Action Plan. They will contribute to helping the EU reach its environmental and climate goals, doubling its circularity rate of material use and achieving energy efficiency targets by 2030.

The new directive replaces the Ecodesign Directive 2009/125/EC External link, opens in new window. and establishes a framework for setting ecodesign requirements on specific product groups. It enables the setting of performance and information conditions – known as ‘ecodesign requirements’ – for almost all categories of physical goods.

Implementation

The ESPR is a framework legislation, meaning concrete product rules will be decided progressively over time, on a product-by-product basis, or horizontally, based on groups of products with similar characteristics.

Find out more about the implementation of the ESPR here External link, opens in new window..