On 30 March, the Commission issued its proposal for a new Regulation on Ecodesign for Sustainable Products (ESPR), which includes a series of measures Member States and the Commission are required to take to help SMEs with the implementation of the future Regulation. Moreover, it proposes the creation of an Ecodesign Forum to provide advice to the Commission on the Ecodesign working plan, in setting priority product groups and ecodesign requirements.
SBS (Small Business Standards) published a position paper in which it welcomes the Commission’s proposal and the measures foreseen to ease the implementation of the future Regulation by SMEs. Since SMEs represent most businesses in the EU, they will be key to the successful implementation of the proposal. Many SMEs traditionally operate at the local level in areas such as repairing, refurbishing and maintenance and will certainly benefit from business opportunities in these areas. Yet, they will also need to adapt to new requirements and cope with additional costs.
In its paper, SBS points out that the implementation of the proposal will heavily rely on delegated acts and European standards. Therefore, the ESPR should be accompanied by market instruments that support the uptake of sustainable products and by incentives facilitating the implementation of the Regulation among SMEs, including special guidance and financial support to ensure their participation in the development of SME-friendly standards, and their representation in the Ecodesign Forum.
Read the full position paper here.
For more information, please contact Mihaela Andreea David at SBS.
Giovanni COLLOT
gcollot@cencenelec.eu
