With approximately 97% of the EU building stock to be upgraded, sufficiency and proactive material selection can significantly reduce extraction and embodied carbon in the construction sector. But a more sustainable material selection can only happen if the information on the environmental performance of products is reliable, comparable, and robust.
In our briefing we give an overview of recent developments to policy and standards in the construction sector and timber industry and discuss the direct implications for stakeholders and experts. This briefing is intended for professionals, policymakers, and advocates within the construction sector and timber industry, and provides them with actionable information to navigate the evolving policy landscape.
The proposal for an Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) [1] is unprecedented – aiming to make all products sustainable by default. In today’s vote, the European Parliament has demonstrated willingness to go even further, giving a clear signal that Europeans demand sustainable products. The existing Ecodesign Directive has already successfully reduced the emissions and improved the circularity of many products since its entry into force in 2009. This update will extend those proven victories and sustainability requirements to many more sectors – driving forward implementation of the European Green Deal.
The European Parliament's IMCO Committee has chosen not to slash the environmental impacts of construction products under the Construction Products Regulation (CPR). The report was approved with a large majority of MEPs, a decision that will have negative impacts on the environment for decades to come – if adopted in plenary. MEPs have agreed to grant special treatment to construction products, unlike textiles, electronics, or plastics, which are all on the path to becoming sustainable by default.
ECOS, with industry players, associations, and other NGOs sent a letter to Member State representatives in the Council with recommendations for an environmentally ambitious Construction Products Regulation (CPR).
We welcome the European Commission’s proposal to revise the Construction Products Regulation (CPR), in particular the effort to align with the environmentally sound principles put forward by the Eco-design Regulation for Sustainable Products (ESPR).
Construction products are essential components of the built environment that surrounds us, but they also have a huge environmental impact throughout their entire lifecycle. On 30 March, the European Commission will publish a proposal for the revision of the central piece regulating construction products: the Construction Products Regulation (CPR), which is expected to introduce a number of sustainability elements to align with the requirements of the European Green Deal. In the time of decarbonisation, the CPR is the lynchpin between energy-intensive industries and the built environment, two of the biggest contributors to EU emissions.
Ahead of the European Commission's proposal for the revision of the Construction Products Regulation (CPR), ECOS calls on policymakers to submit an ambitious revision fully in line with the horizontal principles of the forthcoming Sustainable Products Initiative (SPI), as a one in a decade opportunity to make sustainable construction products the norm.
Seven environmental organizations urge the Commission to carefully consider the alignment of the forthcoming Construction Products Regulation (CPR) with the objectives of the European Green Deal to decarbonize our economy.
ECOS 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.
