Home Europe European Commission Commission Decision (EU) 2024/3179 of 19 December 2024 amend...
Date: 20-Dec-2024 Category: Not Applicable State: Union Government Country: Europe

Commission Decision (EU) 2024/3179 of 19 December 2024 amending Decisions (EU) 2017/175, (EU) 2018/1702 and (EU) 2019/70, as regards the period of validity of the EU Ecolabel criteria and of the related assessment and verification requirements (notified under document C(2024) 8921)

Issued by European Commission · Directorate-General for Environment

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Executive Summary & Key Takeaways

What it means

  • Commission Decision (EU) 2024/3179 amends Decisions (EU) 2017/175, (EU) 2018/1702 and (EU) 2019/70, extending the validity of the EU Ecolabel criteria and related assessment and verification requirements for several product groups.
  • The decision aims to provide market continuity for license holders and to allow sufficient time for the Commission to finalize revisions of the criteria, aligning with upcoming EU legislative initiatives.

Key Changes

  • The validity of the EU Ecolabel criteria for 'tourist accommodation' (established by Decision (EU) 2017/175) is extended from 30 June 2025 to 31 December 2027.
  • The validity of the EU Ecolabel criteria for 'lubricants' (established by Decision (EU) 2018/1702) is extended from 31 December 2024 to 31 December 2028.
  • The validity of the EU Ecolabel criteria for 'graphic paper' and 'tissue paper and tissue products' (established by Decision (EU) 2019/70) is extended from 31 December 2024 to 31 December 2028.

Impact Analysis

Businesses with EU Ecolabel

  • Action Item: License holders should note the new expiration dates for their respective product categories and plan for recertification processes well in advance of the revised deadlines.

Potential EU Ecolabel Applicants

  • Action Item: Potential applicants should familiarize themselves with the current EU Ecolabel criteria and assessment requirements for their product group of interest.

EU Ecolabelling Board and Commission

  • Action Item: The Commission should prioritize the revision of the tourist accommodation criteria to align with upcoming EU initiatives on sustainable tourism. The EU Ecolabelling Board should continue to assess the relevance of the EU Ecolabel criteria.

Consumers

  • Action Item: No specific action is required from consumers, but they should remain informed about the EU Ecolabel scheme and its criteria.

Member States

  • Action Item: Member States should ensure that their national policies and regulations related to the EU Ecolabel reflect the extended validity periods.

Key Entities Referenced

European Commission: The executive branch of the European Union, responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, and managing the EU's day-to-day operations. EU Ecolabelling Board: A body consulted by the European Commission regarding the establishment and revision of EU Ecolabel criteria. Regulation (EC) No 66/2010: The primary regulation governing the EU Ecolabel scheme. Decision (EU) 2017/175: Commission Decision establishing the EU Ecolabel criteria for tourist accommodation. Decision (EU) 2018/1702: Commission Decision establishing the EU Ecolabel criteria for lubricants. Decision (EU) 2019/70: Commission Decision establishing the EU Ecolabel criteria for graphic paper and tissue paper and tissue products.
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Official Journal EN of the European Union L series 2024/3179 20.12.2024 COMMISSION DECISION (EU) 2024/3179 of 19 December 2024 amending Decisions (EU) 2017/175, (EU) 2018/1702 and (EU) 2019/70, as regards the period of validity of the EU Ecolabel criteria and of the related assessment and verification requirements (notified under document C(2024) 8921) (Text with EEA relevance) THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 66/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2009on the EU Ecolabel(1), and in particular Article 8(2) thereof, After consulting the European Union Ecolabelling Board, Whereas: (1) Regulation (EC) No 66/2010 provides that the EU Ecolabel may be awarded to products with a reduced environmental impact during their entire life cycle. Specific EU Ecolabel criteria are to be established for each product group. (2) By Commission Decision (EU) 2017/175(2), EU Ecolabel criteria were established for the product group ‘tourist accommodation’. The validity of those criteria and of the related assessment and verification requirements is to expire on 30 June 2025. (3) By Commission Decision (EU) 2018/1702(3), EU Ecolabel criteria were established for the product group ‘lubricants’. The validity of those criteria and of the related assessment and verification requirements is to expire on 31 December 2024. (4) By Commission Decision (EU) 2019/70(4), EU Ecolabel criteria were established for the product groups ‘graphic paper’ and ‘tissue paper and tissue products’. The validity of those criteria and of the related assessment and verification requirements is to expire on 31 December 2024. (5) In line with the findings from the EU Ecolabel Fitness check (REFIT) of June 30, 2017(5), the Commission, together with the EU Ecolabelling Board, assessed and confirmed the relevance of the EU Ecolabel criteria for the above- mentioned product groups for the EU Ecolabel scheme, implementing solutions to enhance synergies among product groups and to increase the uptake of the EU Ecolabel. (1) OJ L 27, 30.1.2010, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2010/66/oj. (2) Commission Decision (EU) 2017/175 of 25 January 2017 establishing the EU Ecolabel criteria for tourist accommodation (OJ L 28, 2.2.2017, p. 9, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2017/175/oj). (3) Commission Decision (EU) 2018/1702 of 8 November 2018 establishing the EU Ecolabel criteria for lubricants (OJ L 285, 13.11.2018, p. 82, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2018/1702/oj). (4) Commission Decision (EU) 2019/70 of 11 January 2019 establishing the EU Ecolabel criteria for graphic paper and the EU Ecolabel criteria for tissue paper and tissue products (OJ L 15, 17.1.2019, p. 27, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2019/70/oj). (5) Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the review of implementation of Regulation (EC) No 1221/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2009 on the voluntary participation by organisations in a Community eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS) and the Regulation (EC) No 66/2010 of the parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2009 on the EU Ecolabel [COM(2017) 355]. ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2024/3179/oj 1/3EN OJ L, 20.12.2024 (6) The above-mentioned considerations revealed that, for the lubricants, graphic paper, tissue paper and tissue products product groups, the criteria were considered still up to date and likely to remain so in the near future. Consequently, revisions for the above mentioned criteria should be deferred, enabling integration of evolving sectoral legislation and ensuring alignment and coherence with other ongoing EU product policies. For the tourist accommodation product group, a revision will be needed in order to update the criteria and to ensure coherence with the upcoming EU initiatives on sustainable tourism. Until then, the criteria should remain valid. (7) To facilitate the Commission’s coordination of the revision process alongside upcoming legislative initiatives, and to consolidate efforts wherever feasible, it is advisable to extend the validity of the EU Ecolabel criteria outlined in Decisions (EU) 2017/175, (EU) 2018/1702, and (EU) 2019/70. (8) To allow sufficient time to finalise the revision processes and to ensure market continuity to licence holders between the current and revised versions of the criteria, the period of validity of the current criteria and of the related assessment and verification requirements should be extended until 31 December 2027 for the tourist accommodation product group, and until 31 December 2028 for the lubricants, graphic paper, tissue paper and tissue products product groups. (9) Decisions (EU) 2017/175, (EU) 2018/1702 and (EU) 2019/70 should therefore be amended accordingly. (10) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee established by Article 16 of Regulation (EC) No 66/2010, HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: Article 1 Amendment to Decision (EU) 2017/175 Article 6 of Decision (EU) 2017/175 is replaced by the following: ‘Article 6 The EU Ecolabel criteria for the product group “tourist accommodation” and the related assessment and verification requirements shall be valid until 31 December 2027.’. Article 2 Amendment to Decision (EU) 2018/1702 Article 4 of Decision (EU) 2018/1702 is replaced by the following: ‘Article 4 The EU Ecolabel criteria for the product group “lubricants” and the related assessment and verification requirements shall be valid until 31 December 2028.’. Article 3 Amendment to Decision (EU) 2019/70 Article 5 of Decision (EU) 2019/70 is replaced by the following: ‘Article 5 The EU Ecolabel criteria for the product groups “graphic paper” and “tissue paper and tissue products” and the related assessment and verification requirements for each product group shall be valid until 31 December 2028.’. 2/3 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2024/3179/ojEN OJ L, 20.12.2024 Article 4 Addressees This Decision is addressed to the Member States. Done at Brussels, 19 December 2024. For the Commission Jessika ROSWALL Member of the Commission ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2024/3179/oj 3/3

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