Product requirements related to circular economy (e.g. The text analyses to what extent existing EU policies applicable to products are supporting the transition to a circular economy. On 4 March 2019, together with its report on the implementation of the Circular Economy Action Plan, the European Commission published a staff working document on 'Sustainable Products in a Circular Economy - Towards an EU Product Policy Framework contributing to the Circular Economy'. In its resolution of on the 'implementation of the Ecodesign Directive', the European Parliament noted that the Ecodesign Directive provides significant potential for improving resource efficiency that is still untapped and stressed the need to set up of minimum resource efficiency criteria covering, inter alia, durability, robustness, reparability and upgradability, but also sharing potential, reuse, scalability, recyclability, possibility of remanufacturing, content of recycled or secondary raw materials, and the use of critical raw materials. It also called on the Commission to assess, on the basis of a cost-benefit analysis, the possibility of establishing minimum recycled material content in new products in connection with the future revision of the Ecodesign Directive. And finally, it should define horizontal requirements on, inter alia, durability, reparability, reusability and recyclability. It should also put emphasis on the implementation of self-monitoring and third-party auditing to ensure that products comply with these standards. The review should aim at gradually including all relevant resource-efficiency features in the mandatory requirements for product design and at introducing a mandatory product passport based on these requirements. The aim of such a review would be to broaden the scope of ecodesign requirements to cover all main product groups, not only energy-related products. In its resolution of 9 July 2015 on 'resource efficiency: moving towards a circular economy', the European Parliament called on the Commission to propose a review of ecodesign legislation by the end of 2016, based on an impact assessment. avoiding incompatible plastics)' for existing and new products regulated under the Ecodesign Directive. marking of plastic parts) and ease of reuse and recycling (e.g. easy removal of certain components), information (e.g. availability of spare parts and repair manuals, design for repair), upgradeability, design for disassembly (e.g. minimum life-time of products or critical components), reparability (e.g. In its communication 'Ecodesign Working Plan 2016-2019', presented on 30 November 2016, the Commission indicated it would 'explore the possibility of establishing more product-specific and/or horizontal requirements in areas such as durability (e.g. On 17 December 2015, the Commission requested the European standardisation organisations to develop standards on material efficiency aspects, with a particular focus on extending product lifetime, enabling components reuse or materials recycling at the end-of life of products, and using re-used components and/or recycled materials in products.
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