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CRip to Meîn Content

Commission end its priorities (https:flec.europa.eu

lcommission!index_en)

Policies, information end services (https:/Iec.eu

ropaeu/info!index_en)

(https:llec.europe.eu)

English

j

Europeen Commission (http:I/ec.europa.eu/index

_en.htm) Jit

EUSurvey
Public consultation on the EU product policy
Fields marked with

Go,
rube

*

ere mandetory.

(mei
pe.e

Introduction

Do
—

In 2015, the EU adopted the Circular Economy Action
Plan. One of the actions in that plan is to analyse the
existing framework of EU policies for products. The wide
range of products on the EU single market are subjec
t to
many different EU policies that vary in scope, type and
approach. These policies include different forms of
legislation, guidance and financial and/or market incenti
ves. They have various policy aims such as ensuring the
safety of people that use or consume the products, mainta
ining fair competition on the EU internal market, climat
e
change mitigation, protecting the environment, providing
consumer protection and promoting more sustainable
products. While these aims are consistent with circula econom
r
y generally, the policy tools have been developed in
their own context, without necessarily taking into accoun
t the transition that the EU is making to a low carbon,
circular economy.
In this work we aim to focus on product categories where
available evidence indicated there is high potential for
circular economy, and on EU policy tools that are capabl
e of and/or already addressing that potential, partly or
fully.
The contributions to this public consultation will be used
by the Commission when preparing a Commission Staff
Working Document containing the analysis of in how
far EU product policy tools are facilitating the transition
to the
circular economy and possible gaps or obstacles that
hinder the objectives to be achieved.

About you

*

Languege of my contribution
English

3j

*1 em giving my contribution es

Public authority

i
t

*

name

Surname

r

*Emeil (this won’t be published)

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Scope
National

*Organlsation name

255 character(s) maximum
Ministry of lnfrastructure and Water Management

*

Organisation size

Large (250 or more)

Transparency register number

255 character(s) maximum
Check if your organisation is on the transparency register (http://ec.europa.eultransp
arencyregister/public/homePage.do?
redir=false&locale=en). t’s a voluntary database for organisations seeking
to influence EU decision-making.

*Counfry of origin
Please add your country of origin, or that of your organisation.

Netherlands

*Publication privacy settings
The Commission will publish the responses to this public consultation You
can choose whether you would like your details to be made
public or to remain anonymous.
Anonymous
Only your type, country of origin and contribution will be published.
All other personal details (name, organisation name and
size, transparency register number) will not be published.
Public
a
Your personal details (name. organisation name and size, transparency
register number, country of origin) will be published
with your contribution.

9 agree with the personal data protection provisions (https://ec.europa.eu/info/
law/better-regulation/specific-privacy
statement_en)

1. EU product policies
The EU has rules and policies to address products on the EU common
market. They generally aim to ensure
consumers can safely use or consume products, or to make products
more sustainable. In this survey, sustainable’
means products made in a way that limits negative effects on the environment
and climate and ensures resources
for products do not run out. Setting EU rules also allows for fair competition
because they set the same requirements
for all products on the EU market (level playing field).

1.1. To what extent do you agree with the following statements?

Strongly
agree

No opinion/
dont know

Dlsag ree

Strongly
disagree

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Agree

.

The EU should set rules for products on the EU
market to limit their impact on the environment

The EU should set rules to make sure products
have a long lifetime.
The EU should promote products with reduced
environmental impact, for example through
labels
The EU should set rules and rights to help
consumers to engage in the circular economy
(eg. additional consumer rights to repair)

.

.

0

.

:

Rules for these issues would be better setby
the Member States than at EU level

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Please explain your answers in this section and/or add any views on EU product policies

in general

200 character(s) maximum
The EU should ensure that products are designed and produced more sustainably, taking
into account their full life cycle and minimising negative irnpact on the environment and
on human health.

1.2 When setting rules and policies aimed at reducing the negative environmental effects
of products, which types of
products should the EU give priority to?
The El) should aim to reduce effects on the environment of all products
O The El) should prioritise the products with the highest impact 0fl climate, the environment or use of resources

o The El) should prioritise those products where significant improvements can be made at lowest cost to producers and
consumers

O The EU should prioritise products produced on a large scale for the European market
O The EU should not be setting such rules and policies for products

O Other

1.3 Policies in different phases of the product life cycle

The w!es and po!icies the El) has in place for products are aimed to influence products in different
phases of the product life cycle:
from design and praduction to the waste / end-of-life phase. Which of the following approaches
do you consider an effective way to
achieve the goals as described at the beginning of this section?

Somewhat
effective

No
opinion!
Don’t
know

Not very
effective

Not at all
effective

Designlproductiori phase
Setting minimum performance standards (for
instance in terms of use of energy and other
resources for products on the market eg. through
the EU Ecodesign directive)

o

0

0

0

Restricting the use of certain hazardous
substances or chemicals (eg. the Directive on the
Restrictions of Hazardous Substances in electrical
and electronic equipment (R0HS) and the
Registration, evaluation and authorisation of
chemicals (REACH) regulation)

o

0

0

0

Setting safety standards and product
certifications (through CEN/CENELEC standards)

0

0

0

0

Making producers pay for the waste their
products will cause (eg. Extended Producer
Responsibility schemes)

o

o

0

0

Consumptionlprocurement phase
Public authorities giving priority to environmentally
friendly products when buying products (Green
public procurement)

o

o

0

•0

°:

0

0

0

o

0

0

0

Very
effective

Ensuring consumers have information on the
impacts of products, so they can choose the best
environmentally-performing products (eg. Energy
labelling, EU Ecolebel)

Verification of the performance of new
technologies and materials (Environmental
Techno,’ogy Verification)
Supporting longer product lifetimes through
extended product warranties lcommercial
guarantees for products

0

0

0

0

Supporting longer product lifetimes through
better and cheaper repair options

0

0

0

0

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Encouraging sharing and reuse of products so
they are used more intensely and effectively

-

J

Providing consumers information on the
durability and reparability of products
Wastelend-of-Iife phase
Setting requirements and targets for the correct
of waste (Waste legislation)

0

0

-

0

0

Specifically targeting certain waste streams
with high impact (eg. in the directives on Waste
from Electrical and Electronic Equipment
(WEEE), and on End-of-Life Vehicles (EL V))

1f you wish to add any comments on your answers or on policies in the different
phases of the product life cycle, you may do so
here.

200 character(s) maximum
EU should inciude appropriate measures toimprovethedurability, reparability,
reusability, possibilities to usa recycled materials. upgradability and recyclability
of
products within EU regulation.

1.4 Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE)
The EU has legislation and other policy instruments for electrical and electronic
equipment, such as TVs, washing
machines, fridges, vacuum cleaners and computers.

a. How familiar are you with the EU rules and policies for this sector?
Very familiar

o Quite familiar

o Somewhat familiar
o Not very familiar
o Not at all familiar
b. Do you think the sustainable design and production of these products
are adequately covered by EiJ policy
instruments (such as the EU Ecodesign Directive and the Directive
on restriction of hazardous substances in EEE)?
Adequately covered
Inadequately covered

o
o Not covered at all
o Don’t know

c. Do you think there are sufficient EU policy instruments providing
consumers with information on sustainability for
these products (such as the EU Energy label and the EU Ecolabel)?
Sufficient

o Insufficient
o Not covered at all
o Don’t know
d. Do you think there are sufficient EU poticy instruments covering
the end-of-life 1 waste handling of these products?
(such as the directive on Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment)
Sufficient

o Insufficient
o Not covered at all
o Don’t know
e. What do you usually do with old appliances you no longer need?

o Try to selI to second-hand store or online
o Return to a store selling similar appliances
o Bring to waste sorting centre / recycling centre

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o Give away to friends or a charity
O Discard with the municipal waste
O Other

Please briefly explain your answers to these questions and add

any further comments

200 character(s) maximum

1.5Furniture

The EU has Iegislation and other policy instruments for furniture, for example
on chemicals that are allowed to be
used (REACH).

a. How familiar are you with the EU rules and policies for this sector?
Very farniliar
O Quite familiar
Somewhat familiar

o

O Not very familiar
Not at all familiar

o

b. Do you think the sustainable design and production of these products
are adequately covered by EU policy
instruments?
O Adequately covered
Inadequately covered

O Not covered at all
O Dont know

c. Do you think there are sufficient EU policy instruments providing
consumers with information on sustainability for
these products (such as the EU Ecolabel)?
Sufficient

O Insufficient
O Not covered at all
O Dont know

d. Do you think there are sufficient EU policy instruments covering
the end-of-life! waste handling of these products?
(such as the waste framework directive)
Sufficient

O Insufficient
O Not covered at all
O Don’t know

e. Do you regularly purchase second-hand furniture?

o Yes, 1 prefer second-hand furniture (if stili in good shape) because t has proven to be durable
O Yes, if the price is significantly lower than for new furniture
O No, 1 prefer new furniture
O No opinion / Don’t know

Please briefly explain your answers to these questions and add any further

comments

200 character(s) maximum
The EU should i clude fumiture within the scope of the EU Ecodesign directive.
The EU
should assess whether the introduction of a EIJ-wide EPR schema for furniture
could be
productive.

1.6 Textiles (clothing, footware, carpets, etc)

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The EU has legislation and other policy instruments for textiles, for
example en chemicals that are allowed to be
used (REACH) and on labelling of textiles (textites regulation).

a. How familiar are you with the EU rules and policies for this sector?
Very farniliar

o Quite familiar
o Somewhat familiar
o Not very farniliar
o Not at all familiar
b. Do you think the sustainable design and production of these products
are adequately covered by EU policy
instru ments?

o Adequately covered
,

Inadequately covered

o Not covered at all
o Dont know
c. Do you think there are sufficient EU policy instruments providing
consumers with information on sustainability for
these products (such as the EU Ecolabel)?
Sufficient

o Insufficient
o Not covered al all
o Dont know
d. Do you think there are sufficient EU policy instruments covering
the end-of-life 1 waste handling of these products?
(such as the Waste Framework Directive)
Sufficient

o Insufficient
o Not covered al all
o Dont know
e. Would you be willing to pay a somewhat higher price for clothes,
carpets or shoes if you ware convinced they ware
more sustainable?
Yes, t they are better for the environment
Yes, if there are guarantees they ware produced under goed working conditions
j

Yes, if they will have a longer lifetirne

o No, 1 choose my clothes based on other reasons, such as fashion and price
Please briefly explain your answers to these questions and add

any further comments

200 character(s) maximum
rThe EU should inciude textiles within the scope of the EU Ecodesign directive. The EU
assess whether the introduction of a EU-wide EPR scheme for textiles
could be
productive.

1.7 Toys
The EU has legislation and other policy instruments for toys. The toys regulation
covers toy safety, while the
materials that can be used are regulated by instruments such as the REACH
Regulation.

a. How familiar are you with the EU rules and policies for this sector?
• Very familiar
o Quite familiar

o Somewhat familiar
o Not very farniliar
o Not at all tam iliar

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EUSurvey Survey
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•b. Do you think the sustainable design and production of these products are adequately covered by EU policy
instruments?

o Adequately covered
çj

Inadequately covered

o Not covered at all
o Dont know
c. Do you think there are sufficient EU policy instruments providing consumers with information on sustainability for
these products?
: Sufficient
o Insufficient

o Not covered at all

o Dont know
d. Do you think there are sufficient EU policy instruments covering the end-of-life! waste handling of these products?
(such as the waste framework directive)
Sufficient

o Insufficient
o Not covered at all
o Dont know
e. When purchasing toys, is their environmental impact a big factor in your choices?

o No, price and safety are my only considerations
o Price and safety are the most important, but 1 also consider environment
o Yes, environment is as important as safety and price
Please briefly explain your answers to these questions and add any further comments

200 character(s) maximum

2 Public expectations and trust in information on products
Products generally come with a label or manual that contains information on the ingredients or cornponents of the
product. In some cases further information is pro vided, for example on environmental impacts. The EU influences
requirements for this information through various rules and other policy tools. Please answer the following questions,
keeping in mmd we are referring to a wide range of products, (food and drinks, electric devices, textiles, furniture,
etc).

2.1 To what extent do you agree with the following statements?

Strongly
agree

Agree

No opinionl
dont know

Strongly
disagree

Disagree

1 prefer buying products with labels stating that
they perform well in terms of their impact on the
environment

o

o

,o

0

Price is the only aspect that 1 look at when
buying products

0

0

:0

0

1 generally rely on brand reputation as regards
quality and technical performance

0

0

o

o

0

1 do not trust information on labels

0

0

0

0

0

There are too many different and confusing
labels around that provide environmental
information

0

:0

0

0

0

1 do not trust information provided by
producers themselves

0

o

o

°:

:

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1 would be willing to pay more for a product if
1 could be sure t is more sustainable
1 often look for information on quality,
durability or sustainability of products in
specialised magazines or on Internet

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

o

Claims on sustainability made on product
labels should be verifled by a public EU body
Environmental information and functional
performance should be verified by an
independent 3rd party
1 have the impression producers purposely
make products that do not last long
1 would prefer to buy products that can easily
be repaired

2.2 How important is it to you that the following information is made available

on products?

No
opinion /
dont
know

Not very
important

Not at all
important

0

0

0

Information on a single specific
environmental issue (eg. climate change)

0

0

0

Information on environmental impacts of the
product during its whole life cycle (use of
resources, manufacturing, transport, use,
waste or recycling, etc.)

0

0

0

0

0

Very
important
lngredients/components

Quite
important

0

Place of manufacturing of product and/or
components
Production type (organic, covered by an
environmental management system, etc.)

Information pointing to environmentally
excellent products, so as to choose the best
products (e.g. through ecolabels such as the
EU Ecolabel)
Information on the environmental
performance of the specific product in
comparison to the average performance of
the product on the EU market (eg. better,
average, worse)

0

0

0

Information on the technical performance of
the product, especially for innovative or
technology products

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Q

0

0

Information on life expectancy of a product

0

Information on how easily a product could
be repaired when broken
Information about how and where the
product and its components cari be recycled

0

:

Q

2.3 Familiarity and trust in labels
Please answer a few short questions regarding the labels described below.
The EU Ecolabel

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*
*
*

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*
*
*

EU

EcoIbeI

www.ecolabel.eu
Are you familiar with the EIJ Ecolabel?
• Yes, very familiar

o Yes, somewhat familiar
o Not very familiar but it rings a beu
o Not at all familiar
Would you prefer a product with this label on it (with a good score) over

one without (or a bad score)?

o Yes, streng preference
o Maybe, 1f 1 was undecided it could make the difference
O No, it plays no role in my decision

Do you know which aspects are covered by this label?
O No, 1 don’t know
o 1 dont know precisely which aspects are covered but know where to find this information
O t have a general idea of the elements covered
O 1 know the aspect 1 consider most important is covered (e.g. impact en climate)
1 know what aspects are covered

Other Ecolabels

Are you familiarwith such labels?
Yes, very familiar
O Yes, somewhat familiar
O Not very familiar but it rings a beli
O Not at all familiar

Would you prefer a product with such a label en it (With a goed score)

over one without (er a bad score)?

O Yes, streng preference
Maybe, if 1 was undecided it could make the difference

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No, It plays no role in my decision

Do you know which aspects are covered by this label?

o No, l don’t know
o 1 don’t know precisely which aspects ere covered but know where to find this inforrnetion
f the elements covered
o 1 have a general idea 0
know
1
the
aspect
1
consider
most important is covered (eg. impact on climate)
o
1 know what sspects are covered

Bi Energy Label

Are you familiarwith the EU Energy label?
Yes, very tamiliar

o Ves, somewhat farniliar
o Not very familiar but t rings a balI
o Not at all tamiliar
Would you prefer a product with this label on It (with a good score) over one without (or

a bad score)?

c ‘tas, strong preference
o Maybe, if 1 was undecided t could make the difference
o No, t plays no role in my decision
Do you know which aspects are covered by this label?

o No, 1 don’t know
o 1 don’t know precisely which aspects are covered but know where to find this information
o 1 have a general idea of the elements covered
o 1 know the aspect 1 consider most important is covered (eg. impact on climate)
1 know what aspects are covered

Labels for specitic materials, such as wood, palm 011 or fish

MSC

www.msc.org

The mark of

responeible foresfr

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Are you familiar with such labels?
Yes, very familiar

o Yes, somewhat familiar
o Not very farniliar but it rings a bali
o Not at all familiar
Would you prater a product wlth such a label on ii (with a good score) over

o Yes, strong preference
o Maybe, 1fl was undecided t could make the difference
o No, it plays no role in my decision

one without (or a bad score)?

Do you know which aspects are covered by this label?

o No, 1 dont know
o 1 dont know precisely whieh aspects are covered but know where to find this information
o 1 have a general idea of the elements covered
o 1 know the aspect 1 consider rnost important is covered (eg. impact on climate)
1 know what aspects are covered

EU organic farming

Are you familiar with the EU organic farming label?
Yes, very familiar

o Yes, somewhat familiar
o Not very familiar but it rings a beli
o Not at all familiar
Would you prefer a product with this label on it (with a good score) over

one without (or a bad score)?

o Yes, strong preference
o Maybe, if 1 was undecided it could make the difference
o No, t plays no role in my decision
Do you know which aspects are covered by this label?

o No, 1 dont know
o 1 dont know precisely which aspects are covered but know where to find this information
o 1 have a general idea of the elements covered

o 1 know the aspect 1 consider mast important is covered (eg. impact 0fl climate)
1 know what aspects are covered

EU tyre label

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_ri [(C1

Are you familiar with the EU tyre label?
Yes, very familiar
Yes,
somewhat familiar
o

o Not very farniliar but it rings a beu
o Not at all familiar
Would you prefer a product with this label on it (with a good score) over one without (or

a bad score)?

o Yes, strong preference
o Maybe, if 1 was undecided it could make the difference
o No, it plays no role in my decision
Do you know which aspects are covered by this label?

o No, 1 dont know

o 1 dont know precisely which aspects are covered but know where to find this information

o 1 have a general idea of the elements covered
o t know the aspect 1 consider mest important is covered (eg. impact on climate)
1 know what aspects are covered

1f you want to, you may give any comments or further reflections on the different labels here

200 character(s) maximum
To increase availability of green products for consumers, retailers should be encouraged
to promote these products and phase out less environmental friendly products.
2.4 As a consumer, are you satisfied with the environmental information available on

products?

o Yes
o Partially
o No
o No opinion
2.5 Would you like to have more environmental information beyond what is displayed

on the product itself (e.g. online)?

o Yes
o Only fitis easïly accessible and understandable
Only if it is provided by organisations independent from the producer (eg. public databases,

o No

consumer organisations, etc.)

o No opinion
2.6 Did you ever encounter a label or environmental information that you would qualify

as misleading?

Yes

o No
2.7 1f yes, did you file a complaint?
Yes

o No, 1 would have liked to but don’t know how to do this

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No for other reasons

2.8 Please explain your experience with this false claim briefly

200 character(s) maximum
The EU Ecolabel was claimed for the production of a certain kind of paper. The producer
did remove the label on request of the national competent body.
3. The EU Ecolabel

The EU Ecolabel can be displayed on products 1f they meet certain criteria set at EU level, so that consumers know
the products live up to the highest environmental standards.

Would you be willing to answer a few questions on the EU Ecolabel?
Yes
o No
3.1 What do you think the objectives of the EU Ecolabel should be? Please rank from 1 (most important) to 5 (leest
important), or 1 to 6 if you add an objective under other.
123456

To guide EU consumers to the most environmentally friendly products on the EU
market

0

0

0

0

To encourage producers to continuously improve the environmental performance of
their products (eg. through innovation)
To raise general awareness on environmental performance of products amongst
consumers
0

0

0

0

To give manufacturers of sustainable products a competitive advantage

0

0

0

To be a reference tool for green pubhc procurement

0

0

®

Other

000000

0

Please specify ‘other’

3.2 What are the most important challenges for the EU Ecolabel in your view?

Very
important
Consumers don’t understand what it
means

-

Quite
important

Don t
know/no
opinion

Not very
important

Not at all
important

0

0

0

0

.

There are too many other labels (e g
at national level)

0

Producers and other companies find
ittoo complicated and time consuming
to get the label

0

Producers and other companies find
it too costly to comply with the criteria

0

The EU Ecolabel is too unknown for
consumers

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Criteria are too lenient, they don’t
really distinguish more environmental
products from others

0

0

0

0

Other

0

0

0

0

0

0

Please specify

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JULVCY

fefforts should be aimed at realising a much higher level of awareness of the EU
Ecolabel emong the EU citizens/consumers, nd a much higher level of uptake by
producers and retailsector.

3.3 Product coverage
What would in your opinion be the most important when considering products to cover
with the EL) Ecolabel? Please rank
from 1 (most important) to 7 (least important), or 1 to 8 1f you add something under
other.
1

2

3

4

56

7

8

Coveringasmanyproductsaspossible

0

0 0

0

0 0

i!’

0

Focus on products bought by consumers (and not by businesses)

0

®

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0 1 0

0

0

0

0

0

Focus on products of which the highest volumes are sold, such as food and
drinks
Focus on products with high potential for environmental improvement
Focus on products not covered by other reliable ecolabels

0

0

0

0

0

f

0

0

Focus on products with high demand under public procurement

0

0

l

0

0

0

0

0

Focus on intermediate products (bought by retailers and other businesses)

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Other

OOOO.®

000

Please specify other
We do support a focus on highest volumes sold products, however EU Ecolabel for
food/drinks (example) is ess urgent in the Netherlands as ‘On the way to PlanetProof’
certification for sustainable agricultural products (mci. dairy) is gaining in importance in
the Dutch (super)market(s).

3.4 1f you would like to, you can make further comments mi the EU Ecolabel here

200 character(s) maximum

4. Opinions on the Environmental Footprint methods and their policy applications

Between 2013 and 2018, the Commission ran a pilot phase for applying methods to measure
the environmental
impact (or footprint), of products and organisations. These are called the Product Environment
al Footprint (PEF) and
Organisation Environmental Footprint (OEF) methods. 27 different indust,y sectors (covering
more than 60% of the
EU market on a consumption basis), Member States, and some NGOs took part on a voluntary
basis. They tested
how to develop product and sector specific harmonised calculation rules, how to verify the
information and how to
communicate It to consumers, businesses and other stakeholders. After the conciusion of
the pilot phase, the
Commission is considering the next steps. Some of the questions below might be difficult answer
to
without any
knowledge of the Environmental Footprint methods or pilot phase.
The European Commission is running targeted con sultations (http=/Jec. europa. eu/environm
ent/eussd/smgp/ef news.htm) 0fl
the potential future use of the Environmental Footprint methods. They are targeted to businesses
and business
associations, investors, NGOs, public administrations and method/initiative owners.

4.1 Would you be willing to answer a few questions relating to the Environmental Footprint

methods?

® Yes
QN0

4.2 Please select the statement(s) that applies to you

1 know about Life Cycle Assessment
1 am aware of the EL) Environmental Footprint pilot phase, but was not involved
1 (or my organisation) followed the EU Environmental Footprint pilot phase as a stakeholder

1 (or my organisation) was member of one of the Technical Secretariats developing Product Environment

al Footprint

Category Rules or Organisation Environmental Footprint Sector Rules during the EU Environment

al Footprint Pilot phase

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Page 15 of 18

1 am not aware of this work.

4.3 What should the Commission do now with
the new harmonised PEF and OEF methods and the
22 category/sectoral
rules developed during the pilot phaae?

Strongly
agree

Moderately
agree

o

0

Stop the work and leave the eventual
implementation of the methods to
stakeholders

Dont
know /
no
opinion

Moderately
disagree

°

0

Continue supporting the development of
product/sector rules on a voluntary basis but
without any direct application in existing or
new policies
Delegate the management of a voluntary
Product Environmental Footprint (PEF)
scheme to a 3rd party

Create an EU repository of PEF resuits for
products
Create an EU rating scheme based on OEF
resuits for companies and organisations

0;

Provide requirements on how to
communicate to consumers, businesses and
other stakeholders (eg. NGO5) on the
Environmental Footprint

0

o

0

0

0

°

0;

0

o

0

0

0

o

0

0

o

0

0

0

o

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Review existing policies related to the
environmental performance of products
and/or organisations making them compliant
with the PEF/OEF methods
Develop new policies related to the
environmental performance of products
and/or organisations compliant with the
PEF/OEF methods (e.g. on misleading green
claims and proliferation of environmental
labels)

0

0

Delegate the management of a voluntary
Organisation Environmental Footprint (OEF)
scheme to a 3rd party
Use the PEF/OEF methods and
product/sector specific rules as common
knowledge basis in existing or new policies
(e.g. to support the development of EU
Ecolabel criteria, Green Public Procurement
criteria, Sustainable Finance, Eco
management and Audit schema, etc)

Strongly
disagree

0

0

0

4.4 Who should take the responsibility of making availab
le reliable environmental information on products
and
organisations?

Strongly
agree
European Union

Moderately
agree

Dont know /
no opinion

Moderately
disagree

Strongly
disagree

0

0

0

0

0

0

Member States
(countries)

o

*

o

NGOs

o

o

0

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17-1-20 19

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Page 16 of 18

Companies (inciuding
their associations)
Others

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1f others, please specify:

4.5 How important do you rate the following elements for providing reliable, comparable and comprehensi
ve
environmental information?

Quite
important

Don’t
know / no
opinion

Product group and sector-specific
calculation rules (eg. how to calculate the
environmental performance of clothing)

o

Availability of a benchmark (performance of
the average product) per product group
which allows to determine if a specific
product is performing better or worse than
this average

O

Availability of a metric that allows to
compare companies’ environmental
performance within a sector

O

Clear rules on how to develop product
group and sector-specific calculation rules

0

Very
important

Not very

Not at all

important

important

o

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Requiring the gathering of primary
(company-specific) data for specifically
defined processes that are most relevant
from an environmental point of view and
where primary data can be accessed

0

0

0

0

Availability of common, free average
(secondary) data

o

o

0

0

Calculation tools enabling non-experts to
carry out the analysis

o

o

0

0

0

0

0

Use of a solid verification system

0

4.6 Who should develop EU-wide product group and sector-specific rules?
No opinion /

Less

don t know

appropriate

Best

Good

The private sector, with input from other stakeholders
(e.g. NGOs, academia, public administrations, etc)

O

®

0

The private sector, supervised by the European
Commission and with input from other stakeholders
(eg. NGOs, academia, public administrations, etc)

®

:

0

0

Standardisation orgnisations (eg. European
Committee for Standardisation), based on EU rules

0

®

0

0

0

The European Commission, with input from the private
sector and other stakeholders (eg. NGO5, academia,
etc)

O

0

0

0

Other

O

0

0

0

0

:

0

Worst

0

Please specify ‘other

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Page 17 of 18

4.7 Do you think that the European Commission should focus on specific
strategic sectors when developing product- or
sector-specifc calculation rules?
Yes, based on potential environmental impact
Yes, based on importance for the EU economy

o
o Yes, based on importance for capital markets (eg. market capitalisation of a Sector) and/or financial stability
o Yes, based on a combination of factors (eg. environmental impact and importance for the EU economy)
o No, the decision should be left to industry
o No need to develop product- or sector-specitic calculation rules
o 1 don’t know! no opinion
Please specify any strategic sector you think the European Commission

should focus 0fl:

4.8 What communication requirements related to environmentat information
would be most effective in your opiniofi for
products and organisations?

Very
Effective
Defining and monitoring compliance with the
following communication principles: transparency,
availability & accessibility, reliability,
completeness, comparability and clarity
Fines for breaching any of the communication
principles.

o

Prescribe minimum information content, without
prescribing the format

O

Prescribe minimum information content and a
format for communicating to consumers, and one
for communicating with business partners(to use
e.g. on a label, on-shelf information, online, 0fl
product declarations, in reporting etc.)

o

Effective

Don’t
know / no
opinion

Not very
effective

Not
effective
at all

0

0

0

0

o

0

0

0

0

0

o

0

0

Encourage to transfer PEF information along the
supply chain through barcodes

0

0

0

0

Mandatory verification (communicating
information is voluntary, verification is mandatory)

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Other

O

1f other, please specify

4.9 Where should Environmental Footprint information on products be

made available? (you can choose more than one)
Directly on the product (eg. on the label)
Near the product (eg. on the shelf or in an leaflet provided with the product

Onlirie (eg. linked to the the product through a QR or barcode)

other
o don’t know! no Opifliofl

please specify ‘other’
Desire for an open access database for research purposes afid policy evaluations.
4.10 Please provide any further comnients, explanations or suggestions
relating to Environmental Footprint methods (for
example other measures to improve the availability and comparability of environment
al information).
200 character(s) maximum

https ://ee .europa.euleusurvey/runner/productpolicysurveyfinal?surveylangua

ge=en

17- 1-2019

___________

___________

___________

_

1..É%JLnhLV

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Page 18 of 18

5 Closing
5.1 Do you have any further comments or suggestions on how

the EU should address sustainability of products?

400 character(s) maximum
Ecodesign directive should inciude product groupa other than energy
related to take
better into account resource efticiency and impact on the anvironment
and human health.
Concerning planned obsolescence the EU ahould devetop common
methode for
assessing and verifying product life time and to extend the legal guarantee
of all sales of
goods on the basis of these methode.

5.2 1f you would like to, you may upload your position paper

or other relevant document here.

The maximum file aize is 1 ME
Only files of the type pdftxt,doc,docx,odtrtf ere allowed
Select fle to upload

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