The overall objectives of the study are summarised as
follows:
- Conduct a Review
study including a technical analysis and a preparatory study as regards
ecodesign and energy labelling requirements;
- Conduct an Evaluation
of existing regulations;
- Prepare a
supporting study for the Impact Assessment for potential regulatory
measures;
- Provide technical support to the
Commission Services.
The Review study will
include:
- A technical
analysis comprising points listed in Article 8 of both (EU) 2019/2023 and
(EU) 2019/2014
as well as new points identified based of the evolution of the
state-of-the-art;
- A
preparatory study, analysing the technical, economic, environmental,
market and societal aspects of household washing machines and household
washer-dryers.
- It shall
establish the problems and problem drivers to be addressed by the
intervention. It shall also develop possible design options that have the
potential to improve the environmental performance of the product category
in scope in view of the potential revision of existing requirements and
the introduction of new ESPR requirements, including a digital product
passport (if appropriate given that an Energy Labelling already exists),
the tracking of substances of concern and mandatory public procurement
criteria (if appropriate).
This
Review study aims to provide a basis on which the Commission can update the
current regulations within the ESPR framework. It will consider the
introduction of new ecodesign requirements, potentially green public
procurement (GPP) criteria, label criteria and/or a Digital Product Passport
for the product group. The applicability of these instruments will be
considered in parallel to ensure maximum synergy and complementarity.
The
ESPR framework allows a wide range of requirements to be set, including on the
following product aspects:
- product
durability and reliability;
- product
reusability;
- product
upgradability, reparability, maintenance and refurbishment;
- the
presence of substances of concern in products;
- product
energy and resource efficiency;
- recycled
content in products;
- product
remanufacturing and recycling;
- products’
carbon and environmental footprints;
- products’
expected generation of waste materials.
The
project team will carry out research in line with the proposed Ecodesign for
Sustainable Products Regulation, following the structure prescribed by the
latest Review of the Methodology for Ecodesign of Energy-related Products (MEErP) and the revised EcoReport tool.
The MEErP
consists of seven tasks:
- Task 1 – Scope (definitions, standards and
legislation);
- Task 2 – Markets (volumes and prices);
- Task 3 – Users (product demand side);
- Task 4 – Technologies (product supply side, includes
both Best Available Technology and Best Not-Yet Available Technology);
- Task 5 – Environment & Economics (Base case LCA
& LCA);
- Task 6 – Design options;
- Task 7 – Scenarios (Policy, scenario, impact and
sensitivity analysis).
Furthermore, the
Commission (via JRC) is currently developing additional methodologies (e.g. on
substances of concern) to cover all aspects of the holistic ESPR framework. The
study team will take into consideration the new methodologies, to the
extent that they are available.