9 February 2021 was a big day for the environment. Members of the European Parliament had the courage to say it as it is: the EU will only achieve a truly sustainable circular economy if we stop overconsuming. They clearly pointed to the key missing piece of the puzzle, calling for the introduction of two binding targets to significantly reduce the EU’s material and consumption footprints by 2030.
Coolproducts – a group of over 20 European NGOs, co-led by ECOS and the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) - welcomes the rescaled energy labels on home appliances and TVs but asks the EU to ramp up ambition to unlock game-changing savings.
12 environmental NGOs and representatives of waste treatment operators call for setting new European legal requirements to improve e-waste treatment, collection, logistics and preparation for reuse inspired from the existing European CENELEC standards.
2020 was a year like no other. The pandemic forced thousands of organisations, including ECOS, to switch to remote work for most of the year. But COVID-19 was not the only problem we faced last year. While people focused on the disruption in their daily lives, the planet had its warmest year on record.
CEWASTE, a project funded under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 programme is developing a voluntary certification scheme for waste treatment. ECOS is a member of the CEWASTE project.
If the label on the bottle in your hand said it was made from recycled plastic, would you believe it? Depending on the method behind the claim, the bottle might contain little to no recycled content at all. This position paper highlights recommendations to ensure that the methodologies for determining recycled content are developed in a manner which contributes to a circular economy, in a broad range of sectors: from single-use packaging to vehicles from electronics to textiles.
Setting standards that work for the environment is key to shaping a greener future. Did you know that there are many ways for civil society to get involved?
Decarbonising heating is both necessary and entirely possible. Would you like to find out how we can use ecodesign and energy labelling policies to drastically cut CO2 emissions? Watch our webinar!
Would you like to learn more about smart charging of electric vehicles? Did you know that standards play an important role in making green e-mobility work? Watch our webinar to find out more!
Our annual conference, held online on 29 September 2020, gathered over 140 participants and a wide range of stakeholders. Whether you missed it or would like to dip back into the topic - our conference summary is ready for you to be explored!
This year the annual ECOS Members & Experts Training goes online! Join us for an exclusive opportunity to find out all about defending the environment in standardisation.
Health and safety of our participants is a priority for us. This is why we decided to move our event online, so that everyone can join from the comfort of their home or office. Would you like to join us on 29 September? Fill in the form below!
Do you think it is time to design batteries that are truly sustainable? Did you know that standards can make this happen? Watch our webinar to learn more!
On 1 March, we welcome a new set of energy labels for four product groups: washing machines, dishwashers, fridges and TVs & monitors. Nonetheless, we ask the EU to ramp up ambition to unlock game-changing savings. In this newsletter, find also links to our Annual Work Programme 2021 Annual Review 2021... and much more!
The year 2021 just kicked off - a perfect moment to plan ahead and think of the policy trends to follow for the next 365 days. Sustainable batteries for electric cars, strategies to reduce our energy consumption, a renovation wave for buildings… the year will be packed with political decisions with huge potential to help us (or not) achieve a successful transition to a climate-neutral world.
Warming our homes should not come at the expense of our planet. In this issue, find our latest reports on phasing out fossil-fuel heating and our vision for a clean mobility, focusing on requirements for batteries, tyre degradation and smart charging systems. On top, find out why 100% recycled-plastic claims are almost never true and read our views on sustainable product rules, textiles in protective equipment and the EU taxonomy on green investments.
In this issue: 'fight' starts in Brussels to set official green finance list, new energy labels coming up for TVs and kitchen appliances, new ECOS video explaining our work and why standards are important for our planet... and much more!
Join us for our conference on circularity in construction and learn more about our response to new developments in environmental sustainability such as the EU Sustainable Products Initiative, the evolution of a standard on plastic tethered caps and EU legislation for better information to consumers.
Discover why portable air conditioners are a bad choice for the environment, our latest report on how to make batteries more sustainable, our answer to the latest EU hydrogen strategy, and many more news from ECOS!
Several new publications, a comprehensive update on sustainable finance, an upcoming webinar a lots of other news!
A new study [1] commissioned by the European Commission found that up to 6.3 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions could be saved every year if CENELEC standards for treatment of discarded fridges and freezers were made mandatory across Europe.
In a joint letter issued yesterday evening, ECOS, Zero Waste Europe and nine other signatories call upon the European Commission (EC) to avoid a flexible ‘mass balance approach’ method in determining recycled content in plastic products. Instead, they urge the EC to establish a transparent, ambitious, and circular ‘chain of custody’ method.
The European Parliament calls for mandatory targets for material use and consumption footprint as part of their reaction to the EU’s Circular Economy Action Plan.
The European Commission has launched new rules to make batteries more durable, repairable and reusable as part of its proposal for a Batteries Regulation. If approved, the EU would be the first market in the world with dedicated legislation on sustainability and circularity of all batteries – an unprecedented step towards climate neutrality.
The European Commission has published today a new draft delegated act, [1] developing their upcoming list of green economic activities – or ‘taxonomy’. This delegated act is ‘a step in the right direction’: it brings much needed clarity on which economic activities substantially contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation.
European Commission vice president Frans Timmermans and commissioner Kadri Simson today launched the EU’s ‘Renovation Wave’, aimed at doubling the rate of renovation of existing buildings across the continent, with a focus on improving energy performance to reduce associated emissions. [1]
On 14 October 2020, ECOS joins the celebration of World Standards Day, themed ‘Protecting the planet with standards’. More than ever, we wish to highlight how essential environmentally sound standards are to achieving climate neutrality in the coming years.
