Commission Decision
of 10 November 2000
establishing the European Union Eco-labelling Board and its rules of procedure
(notified under document number C(2000) 3280)
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2000/730/EC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community and in particular Article 175(1) thereof,
Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 1980/2000 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 July on a revised Community Eco-label Award Scheme(1), and in particular Article 13 thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Article 13 of Regulation (EC) No 1980/2000 provides that the Commission shall establish a European Union Eco-labelling Board, hereinafter referred to as the "EUEB", consisting of the competent bodies referred to in Article 14 and of the Consultation Forum referred to in Article 15.
(2) Article 13 of Regulation (EC) No 1980/2000 provides that the rules of procedure of the EUEB shall be established by the Commission in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 17 and taking into account the procedural principles set out in Annex IV.
(3) Article 13 of Regulation (EC) No 1980/2000 provides that the EUEB shall in particular contribute to the setting and review of Eco-label criteria as well as the assessment and verification requirements.
(4) Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1980/2000 provides that the Commission shall ensure that in the conduct of its activities the EUEB observes, in respect of each product group, a balanced participation of all relevant interested parties concerned with that product group such as industry and service suppliers, including SMEs, crafts and their business organisations, trade unions, traders, retailers, importers, environmental protection groups and consumer organisations.
(5) Recital 5 of Regulation (EC) No 1980/2000 provides that for the acceptance by the general public of the Community Eco-label Award System it is essential that environmental NGOs and consumer organisations play an important role in the development and setting of criteria for Community Eco-labels.
(6) Article 6(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1980/2000 provides that the EUEB may request the Commission to initiate the procedure for setting the ecological criteria.
(7) Article 6(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1980/2000 provides that the Commission shall give mandates to the EUEB to develop and periodically review the Eco-label criteria as well as the assessment and verification requirements relating to those criteria, applying to the product groups coming within the scope of this Regulation.
(8) Article 6(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1980/2000 provides that on the basis of the mandate the EUEB shall draft the Eco-label criteria in respect of the product group and the assessment and verification requirements related to those criteria, as outlined in Article 4 and Annex IV of this Regulation, by taking into account the results of feasibility and market studies, life cycle considerations and the improvement analysis referred to in Annex II of this Regulation.
(9) Annex IV(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1980/2000 provides that a specific ad hoc working group involving the interested parties referred to in Article 15 and the competent bodies referred to in Article 14 will be established within the EUEB for the development of Eco-label criteria for each product group.
(10) Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 1980/2000 provides that the EUEB shall be consulted by the Commission on the Community Eco-label working plan.
(11) Article 10 of Regulation (EC) No 1980/2000 provides that the members of the EUEB shall cooperate with the Member States and the Commission in promoting the use of the Community Eco-label.
(12) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee set up in accordance with Article 17 of Regulation (EC) No 1980/2000,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
The rules establishing the European Union Eco-labelling Board and its rules of procedure, set out in the Annex hereto, are hereby adopted.
Article 2
This decision is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Brussels, 10 November 2000.