Addressing resource efficiency through the Ecodesign Directive
A review of opportunities and barriers

The European Union has initiated a number of initiatives to improve resource efficiency in Europe. The Ecodesign Directive is one of the policy instruments that could aid the transition towards a more resource efficient economy. So far, the Directive has mainly been applied to set requirements related to energy efficiency, but there is potential for setting legal standards that increase product durability and promote the future re-use and recycling of components and materials. This paper examines the potential benefits and disadvantages in applying the Directive for this purpose, and analyzes the potential to apply certain types of legal standards. There is a need for continuous development of indicators and methods in order to allow for a broader range of legal standards in the future. The study provides some short and long term recommendations on the way forward.
Views of industry representatives
In this chapter we account for the results of an interview study with representatives from industry. The main aim was to get expert opinions on the potential to set requirements related to resources through the Ecodesign Directive, and the potential implications for EU industries.
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