In 2023, ECOS pushed to create momentum for ambitious political decisions, which would bring us a step closer to tackling the triple planetary crisis.
Continue readingThe European Commission has presented a draft proposal for Milestone I in the CPR Acquis Working Group on Cement, providing the CPR Acquis group with a high-level structure for the harmonised technical specifications related to cement, building limes and other hydraulic binders.
Continue reading'Research into Leakage Rates of Hydrogen Blends' due to be published here on 8 April at 07:00 (GMT).
Continue readingGiven the large amount of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations that will be built in the coming years, the European Commission should implement measures to reduce their environmental impact as soon (and as much!) as possible. Measures should tackle the energy and material use of EV chargers and ensure the adoption of future proof smart EV charging standards. Find out about how this can be done in our position paper.
Continue readingEU forests are in a poor ecological state and face increasing risks from climate-related hazards and unsustainable forestry practices. The EU Forest Monitoring Law can help fill gaps in the current frameworks and help to assess and prevent transnational forest risks and losses through data exchange and harmonised reporting.
Continue readingEurope is in urgent need of performance-based cement and concrete standards. The ongoing CPR acquis process on cement offers a unique opportunity to tackle this challenge head on and drive decarbonisation in one of the most carbon-intensive industries. We look at the key lessons from countries outside of Europe that have already made this transition.
Continue readingThe EU Taxonomy Regulation defines environmentally sustainable activities and introduces key performance indicators (KPIs) for buildings and construction to make a ‘substantial contribution’ to mitigate climate change. These KPIs however do not incentivise low-impact construction materials and therefore fail to cover a significant proportion of greenhouse gas emissions in the construction sector.
Continue readingAhead of the upcoming standardisation request to the European Committee for Standardisation on packaging and packaging waste, we outline the need to overhaul and develop packaging standards that are harmonised with the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) requirements.
Continue readingIn 2023, ECOS pushed to create momentum for ambitious political decisions, which would bring us a step closer to tackling the triple planetary crisis.
Continue reading"Without nature, we have nothing. Without nature, we are nothing." - Read our Work Programme for 2024!
Continue reading2022 saw a big shift for ECOS, with our work leading to major impacts on the development of policies, laws and standards to require more and more sustainable products. But it was also the fifth warmest year on record, with climatic extremes experienced across the globe.
Continue readingIn 2023, our work will be guided by two key principles: sufficiency and impact.
Continue reading2021 was an important year for ECOS – we turned 20! We took this opportunity to rebrand, with important changes to our statutes, name and visual identity, which now all reflect our international nature and the high level of expertise that we stand for. The year saw a focus on solutions for a number of important environmental challenges, both from a policy and standardisation point of view, accompanied by several successful reports, events and initiatives.
Continue reading2022 has the potential to be a critical year for environmental policy, with a focus on international climate action, negotiations for a global treaty on plastics, making sustainable products the norm, and leveraging environmental policy as a key tool of the economic stimulus following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Continue reading2020 was a year like no other. With governments concentrating on weathering the storm, it was crucial for the environmental organisations to remind policymakers and standardisers that climate crisis was not going away. Through the turmoil, we kept advocating for a green recovery with ambitious policies and robust standards at the heart of any economic stimulus following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Continue readingNGO-business coalition calls on the decision-makers to consider a real compromise by voting for a “polymer-only" allocation method to account for recycled content in the implementing decision of the Single-Use Plastic Directive (SUPD).
Continue readingAhead of 4 March 2024, when negotiators aim to reach an agreement on the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), ECOS and 29 environmental NGOs and coalitions urge the EU to agree to ambitious measures to reduce the amount of problematic, avoidable, and unnecessary single-use packaging in the EU.
Read the letterAhead of the first trilogue for the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), we are asking negotiators to address hazardous substances in packaging materials in the upcoming discussions and maintain the ambition of the EU’s Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability.
Continue readingA group of seventeen NGOs wrote to the European Parliament's ENVI committee with recommendations for the ongoing revision of the Detergent Regulation. This is an important opportunity to improve requirements for detergents and minimise harmful effects on human health and the environment.
Continue readingWe, sector organisations, NGOs and think tanks warn the European Commission that its flawed decision to postpone the Heat Pump Action Plan will put the energy transition for heating at risk.
Continue readingThe squandering of recyclable resources, losing their material value to incineration and landfilling, constitutes a significant yet avoidable hindrance to realising the circular economy. Though a further comprehensive revision of Waste Framework Directive (WFD) is anticipated, the ongoing revision should urgently address the incineration and landfilling of recyclable waste. This is pivotal for achieving municipal and packaging waste recycling targets, already enshrined in EU law for multiple years but challenging for many Member States.
Continue readingTogether with 18 European NGOs, ECOS has sent a letter to EU policymakers ahead of the final Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) calling for ambitious National Building Renovation Plans (NBRPs). These plans can set a foundation that will see the worst-performing homes and buildings in Member States being renovated, helping to reduce energy demand and alleviate energy poverty across the EU.
Continue readingECOS has been an active stakeholder in the Ecodesign and Energy Labelling Consultation Forum for over 17 years. While we appreciate the current stakeholders' consultation on implementing measures, more can be done to ensure that the regulatory process is efficient. We have identified a series of issues that led to delays, ineffective meetings and decisions, and potential conflict. Effective participation requires transparency, rules that are fit for purpose, and realistic but ambitious timelines.
Continue readingPolicymakers must step up and deliver on climate targets by phasing out the installation of new fossil fuel boilers in the EU by 2030. Learn how in our new video.
Continue readingThe Digital Product Passport is an EU initiative, part of the upcoming Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR). It aims to unleash access to data and information across products' value chains. Information is key to sustainable design, more informed consumer choice, access to repair, and better recycling of products. Read more in this analysis from ECOS and CircThread.
Continue readingWhy stalling on the transition to clean heating in the EU will only help fossil fuel companies. A mythbuster by ECOS with the Coolproducts campaign.
Continue readingF-gases – some of the most used gases you’ve never heard of – threaten our planet and our health. Commonly used in refrigeration, air conditioning, insulation, electronics manufacturing, and switchgear, F-gases have significant global warming potential. Some also break down into forever chemicals (PFAS), posing risks when they leak into the environment. The good news: F-gases will be phased out in the EU by 2050! How will they be phased out? Find out in our new factsheet.
Continue readingECOS welcomes the proposal for a Directive on Soil Monitoring and Resilience - a crucial step to protect soil and the life-sustaining ecosystem services it provides. A law protecting and restoring soils is needed to achieve the European Green Deal objectives. The current proposal leaves room for improvement and we call on policymakers to implement tangible changes that will increase the ambition and robustness of this long-awaited legislation.
Continue readingThis FAQ document helps to combat misinformation and confusion around the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). Take a look at the facts on reusable packing.
Continue readingECOS is co-funded by the European Commission and EFTA Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or EISMEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
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