New regulation on the Environmental performance of products & businesses
In connection with the intention to introduce a new regulation on the environmental performance of products and business, the European Commission is holding a public consultation until August, 31st 2020.
The purpose of the consultation is for companies to prove the claims of the environmental footprint of their products/services using standard methods for their quantification.
Claims should be reliable, comparable and verifiable across the EU in order to limit “environmental laundering”, which creates a false impression of the impact on the environment.
The regulation should make it easier for traders and investors to take long-term decisions and increase consumer confidence in green labels and information.
Review of the General Product Safety Directive
Overall, GPSD aims to achieve a high level of consumer protection by reducing hazardous products and contributing to the functioning of the single market. For this purpose, it establishes a common safety requirement for non-food consumer products and contains provisions for comparing standards in the Official Journal of the EU in support of the common safety requirement. It complements the sector-specific product safety legislation of the harmonized legislation, covering non-harmonized products such as childcare articles, furniture, clothing, etc. while ensuring consistency with chemical risk and risk management. The GPSD is also applicable to harmonized products due to safety risks not covered by specific harmonized legislation. From this point of view, GPSD functions as a safety net for all consumer products.