On on May 10-11, 2023 we organized the 2nd Edition of Sustainability Insights on “European Sustainable Products Initiative” in Berlin, Germany as a hybrid event. The focus of the events was on the new EcoDesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and the upcoming Green Claims Directive.
Due to increasing material consumption and waste generation, it is crucial to keep resource consumption within planetary limits and to address biodiversity issues arising from resource extraction and processing. Accordingly, in the new Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) 2020, the European Commission has proposed a plan to implement binding requirements and principles for products on the EU market in the form of a legislative initiative for sustainable products.
This plan includes, among others, two directives on which we focussed during our event: The new EcoDesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) along with its Digital Products Passport tool, and the Draft Green Claims Directive, which was discussed and reviewed throughout the second day to develop recommendations for the forthcoming legislative implementation process. Further insights were provided in a special session on the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).
We were pleased to welcome a number of experts who kindly shared their knowledge with us. You can access the recordings of their presentations below:
Welcome & Setting the stage
Prof. Guido Sonnemann – Chair of the Executive Committee of FSLCI & Professor of Chemistry @ Université de Bordeaux
Keynote 1: Proposal for a Regulation on Ecodesign for Sustainable Products
Michele Galatola – Senior Policy Officer @ EU Commission, DG Grow
Panel discussion 1: Implications of the ESPR in supporting the transition to a Circular Economy
Panelists were:
- Antoine Durand, Project Manager @ Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI
- Giulia Zilla, Policy Manager, Energy and Environment @ Home Appliance Europe (APPLiA)
- Mark Hoff, European Head of ESG and Finance Sector Lead @ SLR Consulting and Project Lead @ CIRPASS
- Michele Galatola, Senior Policy Officer @ Eu Commission DG Grow
The panel was moderated by Martina Prox.
Special Session: The EU CBAM – Why, What, When, and How?
Dr. Michael Jakob – Senior Researcher @ Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change
Short Input: The Digital Product Passport (DPP) as a tool to promote sustainability, circularity, and legal compliance
Martina Prox on behalf of Michele Galatola
Keynote 2: Green Claims Directive – Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on substantiation and communication of explicit environmental claims
Rana Pant – Senior Policy Office @ EU Commission, DG Environment
Panel discussion 2: Making Green Claims trustworthy
Panelists were:
- Malte Biss, Managing Director @ Flustix
- Rana Pant, Senior Policy Officer @ EU Commission DG Environment
- Yuki Hamilton Onda Kabe, Technical Advocacy Specialist @ Braskem Netherlands B.V.
The panel was moderated by Martina Prox.
