EU
policy implementation
 New
life cycle based EU policies will impact the way you design and manage
products. You need to be prepared for the road ahead.
PRé Consultants has the expert knowledge to
get you prepared for the new life cycle thinking that is now
spreading in the European Union. We can help you to develop company policies, train your
staff and get the tools in place.
Energy using Products
(EuP) directive
By 2007/2008 many mass-produced energy-using products (EuP) in
the EU must conform to the EuP Ecodesign directive.
For each product group, like dishwashers, or televisions, an
implementing measure is being developed. This measure defines the
requirements for the product group. There are two alternative sets
of requirements:
- An energy efficiency criterion
- An ecodesign dossier
If the implementing measure describes an energy efficiency
criterion, products may not use more than a certain amount of energy
in the use phase.
If the implementing measure describes an ecodesign
dossier, suppliers must be able to show a document that documents
the ecodesign efforts made to reduce the overall impact over the
life cycle (including the use phase). The implementing measure will
give a list of key environmental performance indicators (KePIs) that
need to be addressed. For instance, you may have to show what
efforts you made to reduce the amount of steel and copper in the
product and the energy use in the use phase.
Progress in the development of implementing measures can be
checked
here. General information on the EuP directive can be
found
here.
Our consultancy team is ready to help you to translate the
implementing measures in practical measures and tools for designers.
We would start making a quick assessment on how well your products
comply, and what you need to improve. Next we would translate that
in KePI's, guidelines or other simple tools for your design team.
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Understanding
the IPP process
The Integrated Product Policy or IPP if the EU can best be described
as the basis for a
policy making process. This policy making process is at the basis of
several directives and regulations, but the IPP process itself does not set any rules.
The PRé Consultancy team closely follows the process, as the
debates are an early warning for future regulations and
political processes. We can help you to understand what is going on
and how you should prepare yourselves.
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Understanding the EU
prioritization process
The EU is currently determining a priority shortlist of products that need
environmental improvements. They do this by assessing the ratio
between the economic value of a product and the environmental load.
Product groups that have a high load per euro of product value will
be targeted first.
This ratio is based on the results of the
EIPRO input output table.
This dataset has been developed on the basis of the
US input output database supplied with
SimaPro.
The principles used in this study are partially taken
from earlier work performed by PRé. In 1998 we assessed the
environmental load of the entire Dutch economy, and in 2004 we
studied the environmental load of Dutch consumption.
The PRé consultancy group has a thorough
understanding of the methodology used, and is well geared to find
out what's in stock for your products and services.
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Reach, RoHS and WEEE
The Reach, RoHS and WEEE directives have a huge impact for all companies that
supply goods to the EU. A common characteristic of these directives is
the life cycle thinking approach.
If you can organize the supply chain in
such a way that your suppliers are in line with these directives, half of
the work is done.
PRé Consultants can help you to assess and organize the supply
chain.
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