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