European Union
Mr Chairman, Distinguished delegates
I have the pleasure to speak on behalf of the European Union and its 27 Member States.
Changing unsustainable patterns of consumption and production is one of the three
overarching objectives of sustainable development. We need to make it happen at all levels by
shaping and launching a 10-year framework of programmes (10YFP) in support of regional
and national initiatives to accelerate the shift towards sustainable consumption and
production (SCP).
As underlined by the SG report, our development patterns have exceeded the carrying capacity of
ecosystems in various geographic areas. In order to meet the basic needs of a growing population
within the Earth?s limited resources, in the context of a global partnership for sustainable
development, there is a need to rethink the concept of growth and to come up with a more
sustainable model both for production, consumption and for the economy as a whole.
Mr. Chairman,
Allow me to elaborate on the goals and the format of the 10-year framework programme on
Sustainable Consumption and Production.
CSD is the only international forum having SCP in the context of sustainable development on
its agenda, therefore it has an eminent role in the elaboration of the 10 Year Framework of
Programmes (10YFP), which should be ambitious and composed of two parts:
? a declaration on SCP outlining a common vision for all countries on the need to promote
SCP with a framework defined in terms of program fields/areas, overall goals in each field
and implementing structure, and
? a series of specific programs for SCP with precise objectives, time frames and means of
implementation, as well as sectors and actors to accelerate the shift towards SCP and respond
to national and regional needs and priorities.
The 10YFP for the period 2011- 2021 could be an important step to accelerate the shift
towards SCP patterns which could respond to present and future human needs within the
capacity of ecosystems and thereby support, in a synergetic way, meeting the MDGs.
Furthermore, the 10YFP, next to contributing to the very broad goal of changing
unsustainable consumption and production patterns can also be a major response to the
current political demand for input on how to green our economies. This process, at the same
time, has the potential to revitalize ongoing efforts to promote SCP patterns and fostering
innovations and businesses leading to more sustainable economies.
Such an accelerated shift promoting SCP patterns assisting the transition to an eco-efficient
economy within the carrying capacity of ecosystems requires a common strategy to curb
increasingly unsustainable trends, and to promote well-being, gender equality and social
equity for all, thereby bridging the gaps between countries in different stages of development.
In this context, we also support the report of the Secretary General stressing the need of
concrete targets and identifying major strategic obstacles such as underpricing of natural
resources and non-pricing of pollution.
A common vision could also enable us to ensure that the outcome of CSD19, the 10YFP, will
be taken into account when preparing for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in
2012 which offers an excellent opportunity to further promote global action on SCP. As
discussions on a common vision for this draft should start without delay, let me share with
you the EU preliminary approach of a possible content of the 10YFP. We see it as constructive
way to enter into early discussions on further progress for all of us in this, and, needless to
say, we are also wide open to listening to your views.
Mr. Chairman,
The EU would like to outline the structure and the content of the 10-year framework
programme on Sustainable Consumption and Production. A possible approach, giving
balanced consideration to both the consumption and production sides of the economy, could
be structured alongside the main stages of the life cycle of products: cleaner production
processes, better products and more sustainable consumption and lifestyles. These are all
strongly connected to waste policies, and taken together, these four stages can close the loop of
goods and services produced and consumed in a life cycle perspective, thereby promoting SCP.
Each of these stages can be considered as a program field/area of the 10YFP.
This approach would promote the integration of SCP into horizontal strategies at all levels,
thereby connecting SCP to social development goals, including the MDGs. To implement
these goals in such a way that the benefits of strong early action outweighs the costs of
inaction in the long run, governments should take the lead in creating an enabling
environment for sustainable solutions by using a mix of policy instruments and in adopting
institutional and legal framework as well as adequate infrastructure and sustainable procurement
policies. These policies can also be supported by sustainable trade strategies and corporate social
and environmental responsibility..
I would also highlight, in my last point on our preliminary approach, that our future work on
SCP should be supported by a globally recognized, credible and coherent science base capable
of creating a strong science-policy interface, in particular with the work of the International
Panel for Sustainable Resource Management. To elaborate a vision on how to use of natural
resources in a more sustainable way and safeguard ecosystem services while at the same time
promoting social and economic development at national, regional and international levels,
concrete targets could be considered according to the sets of regional priorities and strategies
identified through CSD Regional Implementation Meetings.
Mr. Chairman,
Now let me turn our attention to lessons that we have learnt during the last decades. The EU
has made a lot of progress and developed a number of good policies and practices to make our
consumption and production more sustainable. A series of examples are given in a list
distributed, so I will just mention a few of them now:
? On production and supply chain, an Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control defines a
regulatory framework at the EU level for permitting and controlling industrial
installations. In addition, the CSR action plans adopted in several Member States
encourage business to promote sustainable production processes through voluntary
actions.
? On products, the EU has taken actions on legislation for the Eco-design of energy-using and
energy-related products aiming at producing more eco-efficient products, and on
Sustainable (green and social) Public Procurement in order to increase the public
consumption of these products as well as opportunities for decent job creation while a
strong link is being made with labelling and eco-design. Implementing measures for specific
products will identify the performance level above which public authorities are encouraged to
procure or grant incentives for. At the Member States level, product panels involving
stakeholders on a cooperative basis have been developed to put more eco-efficient products on
the market.
? On consumption and lifestyle, education guidelines and toolkits, such as the one developed
by the Task Force on Education for Sustainable Consumption or the EU online consumer
education tool called Dolceta, have been elaborated to introduce sustainable consumption
into formal learning processes. A Retail Forum was set up recently engaging retailers at the
EU level to work together and with other stakeholders and the Commission at concrete actions
in favour of sustainable consumption.
? On long term growth and development strategies, the SCP/SIP Action plan called for by the EU
Sustainable Development Strategy is the main example of mainstreaming SCP in EU domestic
policy. The new EU 2020 strategy with its key priorities, i.e. knowledge and innovation, a more
sustainable economy, high employment and social inclusion will bring this forward. SCP
policies has also been integrated into national and sub-national SD strategies, including
Agendas 21 at local levels. And beyond its border, the EU has also supported SCP through
bilateral trade agreements and various programmes, such as the 90 million Euros
SWITCH Programme targeting Asia.
Based on our experience, the following challenges to Sustainable Consumption and
Production deserve to be highlighted:
? First, on production and the supply chain, the lack of integration across the whole lifecycle,
the need of ?absolute decoupling? and of synergies in the interdependent components of
sustainable development, in particular in sustainable trade strategies and CSR.
? Second regarding products, the need to evaluate and internalise external short and long
term costs in terms of human and environmental resources, and cooperating with new actors
such as retailers and media.
? Third, concerning consumption and lifestyle, the lack of demand side management and
instruments addressing consumption levels, for changing unsustainable behaviour and
avoiding rebound effects. This results in a misbalance in the number of policy instruments
targeting supply versus demand side. The challenge is to match sustainable technological
solutions with behavioural changes.
? And finally, on long-term growth and development strategies, the fragmentation of existing
strategies and approaches, the lack of coherence among existing policy instruments
targeting the same areas and finally the lack of capacity building and knowledge transfer
systems. The need to develop education in general, and education for sustainable consumption
in particular, and to provide adequate infrastructure and tools such as indicators to measure the
impact of developed countries consumption and production patterns on developing countries.
As a crucial element in this review of best practices and challenges in all regions, weunderline
the importance of meaningful review and follow-up arrangements for SCP. To embed the
SCP firmly in the UN-structures, Governments could consider what role each UN body could
play in the follow-up and implementation of 10YFP in social, environmental and economic
areas. In addition, the EU would like to emphasize the encouraging results obtained from the
Marrakech Process (MP), reflected in the information document distributed for this meeting.
The EU has also contributed to this process, including through the work of international
Marrakech Task Forces in close cooperation with partners from other regions of the world.
The MP has demonstrated its potential to promote progress on SCP worldwide. A continued
and strengthened MP, with its variety of actors and events such as NGO and Business Fora
and National and Regional meetings could represent an effective tool to support the
implementation of the 10YFP and should be utilized in the future as well.
Thank you for your attention.
Examples of good policies and practices on Sustainable
Consumption and Production
Focus 1: On production processes
Title Integrated pollution prevention and control
Level European Union
Description The EU adopted the directive on Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) in
1996. This directive gives a set of common rules for permitting and controlling industrial
installations with the aim to minimising pollution from various industrial sources
throughout the European Union. The directive is based on several principles, namely an
integrated approach, best available techniques, flexibility and public participation.
Description The EU supports SCP via the SWITCH-Asia Programme, with 90 million EUR
allocated for the period 2007-2010. The aim is to promote economic prosperity and help
reduce poverty in Asia by encouraging sustainable growth with reduced environmental
impact. The projects aim for example to introduce cleaner production, support green
products and eco-labelling, introduce energy saving techniques and encourage
sustainable Public Procurement and Corporate Social Responsibility.
Description The European Commission has developed practical tools to facilitate the uptake of
environmental criteria in public procurements, ex. Training Toolkit on green public
procurement (designed for use by green public procurement trainers or for integration in
general public procurement training courses), Handbook on environmental public
procurement. In 2008, the Commission published a Communication on public
procurement for a better environment, which provides guidance on how to reduce the
environmental impact caused by public sector consumption and proposes a voluntary
50% GPP target for Member States to be reached as from 2010.
Title Sustainable public procurement policy
Level EU Member States
Description Several Member States have used public procurement to pursue social and
environmental goals. It can be a requirement of equal pay between men and women is a
condition for public contracts to be performed in the country. It can also be a Special
Contract Arrangements (SCA) requires contracting authorities to give special
consideration to buying goods and services from suppliers which employ severely
disabled people. One country developed a sustainable procurement guide including
social and environmental criteria for about 70 product- and service groups.
Source Task Force on Sustainable Public Procurement, CSD Reports
Title European Multi-stakeholder Forum on Corporate Social Responsability (CSR)
Level European Union
Description The European Multi-stakeholder Forum on CSR launched in October 2002 provides a
platform among the main stakeholder groups at European level - employers, trade
unions, business organisations/networks and civil society organisations - with the
Commission playing a facilitating role. It aims to promote CSR practices and
instruments, in particular by exploring the appropriateness of establishing common
guiding principles, taking into account existing EU initiatives and legislation and
internationally agreed instruments such as OECD Guidelines for multinational
enterprises, ILO core labour conventions and the International Bill of Human Rights.
Focus 2: On better products
Title Eco-design of Energy-using Products
Level European Union
Description The EU adopted the directive on Eco-design of Energy-using Products in 2005. The
Directive defines conditions and criteria for setting, through subsequent implementing
measures, requirements regarding environmentally relevant product characteristics and
allows them to be improved quickly and efficiently. Following the EU SCP action plan,
the scope of this Directive will be enlarged to include all energy-related products, which
are products that do not consume energy during use but have an indirect impact on
energy consumption, such as water-using devices, windows or insulation material.
Title Product panels
Level EU Member States
Description Many countries develop "product panels", interactive and co-operative approaches
among different stakeholders in order to develop and disseminate cleaner and more ecoefficient
products on the market, considering the supply and demand sides. They are
based on interaction between the participating players by learning, negotiating and
exchanging information. Product panels started mid nineties.
Title Retail Forum
Level European Union
Description The European Commission has set up a Retail Forum, involving a number of other
stakeholders, including producers, as well as consumers and other nongovernmental
organisations. The aim of this forum is to get large individual retailers to commit to a
series of ambitious and concrete environmental actions, which will be monitored
regularly. The European Commission will also support measures to increase consumer
awareness and help shoppers make more sustainable choices.
Focus 3: On consumption and sustainable living
Title EU Ecolabel
Level European Union
Description The EU adopted the directive on the EU Ecolabel in 1992. The label is easily
recognisable by its flower logo, takes into account the main environmental impacts of a
product as well as its environmental performance. Only those goods with the lowest
environmental impact (10-20% of products) will be able to meet the criteria. The label
currently covers cleaning products, appliances, paper products, clothing, home and
garden products, lubricants and services such as tourist accommodation.
Title Strategy for Europe on Nutrition, Overweight and Obesity related health issues
Level European Union
Description The European Commission published in 2007 a white paper on a ?A Strategy for
Europe on Nutrition, Overweight and Obesity related health issues?. This strategy aims
to better inform consumers, to ensure healthy options for the consumers and to
encourage physical activity. The white paper stresses that: The actions described are
intended to work across government policy areas and at different levels of government
using a range of instruments including legislation, networking, public-private
approaches, and to engage the private sector and civil society.
Source DG Health and Consumers
Title Education for Sustainable Consumption (Dolceta)
Level European Commission
Description Dolceta is an online consumer education tool, designed to inform and educate consumers
on sustainable consumption, among other topics. The tool is designed for use by
consumers across the EU (27 Member States, 21 languages), from school children to
adults in formal learning and work situations and at home. Dolceta provides facts and
information in non-technical language as well as teaching material for teachers (lesson
plans and classroom activities for use with learners of all ages). The project is initiated
and financed by the European Commission and it is managed by EUCEN(the European
Association for University Lifelong Learning) and national teams in all the EU Member
States.
Source DG Health and Consumer Affairs
Web site www.dolceta.eu
Title Education for Sustainable Consumption (ESC)
Level EU Member States
Description Many countries develop ESC instruments entering often within the framework of the UN
Decade on Education for SD (2005-2014). One of them has developed an Educational
toolkit on sustainable consumption for schools that addresses various topics such as
sustainable use of resources, shopping, product labelling, sustainable housing, product
life cycles and ecological footprint. Worth to mention is also the Recommendations and
guidelines on ESC developed by the Task Force on ESC.
Source CSD Reports
Task Force on ESC
Web site http://www.un.org/esa/dsd/dsd_aofw_ni/ni_pdfs/NationalReports/czech/
Consumption_Production.pdf
http://www.unece.org/env/esd/inf.meeting.docs/SC/SC-4/HereandNowLayout2…
Focus 4: On horizontal strategies at the different governmental/ intergovernmental levels
Title Sustainable Development Strategy calling for SCP Action plan
Level European Union
Description The 2006 renewed EU Sustainable Development Strategy (EU SDS) foresaw that the
Commission would propose an EU Sustainable Consumption and production Action
plan by 2007, which should help to identify and overcome barriers for SCP and to
ensure better coherence between the different related policy areas and to raise
awareness among citizens and change unsustainable consumption habits. The European
Commission adopted the Sustainable Consumption and Production and Sustainable
Industrial Policy Action Plan in 2008. It includes inter alia some of the above mentioned
good practices. Moreover, the list of sustainable development indicators (SDI)
developed to monitor the EU SDS includes a set of SDI on SCP.
Source DG Environment
Web site http://ec.europa.eu/environment/eussd/escp_en.htm
Title National Sustainable Development Strategy (NSDS) integrating SCP
Level EU Member States
Description Some countries have NSDSs integrating SCP as a key component. For example, the
NSDS (2002) and its follow-up working programmes can take a particular SCP featured
approach, with sustainable products and services as well as consumption and lifestyles
amongst the central themes addressed. In another country, a proposal for a national SCP
programme was endorsed for implementation by the government by means of approval
of the renewed NSDS in 2006, which addresses SCP and makes a commitment for the
implementation of the SCP programme.
Source DG Environment
Website http://www.mop.gov.si/fileadmin/mop.gov.si/pageuploads/podrocja/okolje/…
background_paper_national_SCP_strategies_reviw.pdf
Title European Union Cohesion Fund
Level European Union
Description The Cohesion Fund which serves to reduce the economic and social shortfall as well as
to stabilise the economy of Member States whose gross national income per inhabitant is
less than 90% of the Union average, may intervene in areas related to environment and
in areas related to sustainable development which clearly present environmental benefits,
namely energy efficiency, use of renewable energy, developing rail transport, supporting
inter modality, strengthening public transport, etc.
Source DG Regional Policy
Web site http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/funds/cf/index_en.htm
I have the pleasure to speak on behalf of the European Union and its 27 Member States.
Changing unsustainable patterns of consumption and production is one of the three
overarching objectives of sustainable development. We need to make it happen at all levels by
shaping and launching a 10-year framework of programmes (10YFP) in support of regional
and national initiatives to accelerate the shift towards sustainable consumption and
production (SCP).
As underlined by the SG report, our development patterns have exceeded the carrying capacity of
ecosystems in various geographic areas. In order to meet the basic needs of a growing population
within the Earth?s limited resources, in the context of a global partnership for sustainable
development, there is a need to rethink the concept of growth and to come up with a more
sustainable model both for production, consumption and for the economy as a whole.
Mr. Chairman,
Allow me to elaborate on the goals and the format of the 10-year framework programme on
Sustainable Consumption and Production.
CSD is the only international forum having SCP in the context of sustainable development on
its agenda, therefore it has an eminent role in the elaboration of the 10 Year Framework of
Programmes (10YFP), which should be ambitious and composed of two parts:
? a declaration on SCP outlining a common vision for all countries on the need to promote
SCP with a framework defined in terms of program fields/areas, overall goals in each field
and implementing structure, and
? a series of specific programs for SCP with precise objectives, time frames and means of
implementation, as well as sectors and actors to accelerate the shift towards SCP and respond
to national and regional needs and priorities.
The 10YFP for the period 2011- 2021 could be an important step to accelerate the shift
towards SCP patterns which could respond to present and future human needs within the
capacity of ecosystems and thereby support, in a synergetic way, meeting the MDGs.
Furthermore, the 10YFP, next to contributing to the very broad goal of changing
unsustainable consumption and production patterns can also be a major response to the
current political demand for input on how to green our economies. This process, at the same
time, has the potential to revitalize ongoing efforts to promote SCP patterns and fostering
innovations and businesses leading to more sustainable economies.
Such an accelerated shift promoting SCP patterns assisting the transition to an eco-efficient
economy within the carrying capacity of ecosystems requires a common strategy to curb
increasingly unsustainable trends, and to promote well-being, gender equality and social
equity for all, thereby bridging the gaps between countries in different stages of development.
In this context, we also support the report of the Secretary General stressing the need of
concrete targets and identifying major strategic obstacles such as underpricing of natural
resources and non-pricing of pollution.
A common vision could also enable us to ensure that the outcome of CSD19, the 10YFP, will
be taken into account when preparing for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in
2012 which offers an excellent opportunity to further promote global action on SCP. As
discussions on a common vision for this draft should start without delay, let me share with
you the EU preliminary approach of a possible content of the 10YFP. We see it as constructive
way to enter into early discussions on further progress for all of us in this, and, needless to
say, we are also wide open to listening to your views.
Mr. Chairman,
The EU would like to outline the structure and the content of the 10-year framework
programme on Sustainable Consumption and Production. A possible approach, giving
balanced consideration to both the consumption and production sides of the economy, could
be structured alongside the main stages of the life cycle of products: cleaner production
processes, better products and more sustainable consumption and lifestyles. These are all
strongly connected to waste policies, and taken together, these four stages can close the loop of
goods and services produced and consumed in a life cycle perspective, thereby promoting SCP.
Each of these stages can be considered as a program field/area of the 10YFP.
This approach would promote the integration of SCP into horizontal strategies at all levels,
thereby connecting SCP to social development goals, including the MDGs. To implement
these goals in such a way that the benefits of strong early action outweighs the costs of
inaction in the long run, governments should take the lead in creating an enabling
environment for sustainable solutions by using a mix of policy instruments and in adopting
institutional and legal framework as well as adequate infrastructure and sustainable procurement
policies. These policies can also be supported by sustainable trade strategies and corporate social
and environmental responsibility..
I would also highlight, in my last point on our preliminary approach, that our future work on
SCP should be supported by a globally recognized, credible and coherent science base capable
of creating a strong science-policy interface, in particular with the work of the International
Panel for Sustainable Resource Management. To elaborate a vision on how to use of natural
resources in a more sustainable way and safeguard ecosystem services while at the same time
promoting social and economic development at national, regional and international levels,
concrete targets could be considered according to the sets of regional priorities and strategies
identified through CSD Regional Implementation Meetings.
Mr. Chairman,
Now let me turn our attention to lessons that we have learnt during the last decades. The EU
has made a lot of progress and developed a number of good policies and practices to make our
consumption and production more sustainable. A series of examples are given in a list
distributed, so I will just mention a few of them now:
? On production and supply chain, an Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control defines a
regulatory framework at the EU level for permitting and controlling industrial
installations. In addition, the CSR action plans adopted in several Member States
encourage business to promote sustainable production processes through voluntary
actions.
? On products, the EU has taken actions on legislation for the Eco-design of energy-using and
energy-related products aiming at producing more eco-efficient products, and on
Sustainable (green and social) Public Procurement in order to increase the public
consumption of these products as well as opportunities for decent job creation while a
strong link is being made with labelling and eco-design. Implementing measures for specific
products will identify the performance level above which public authorities are encouraged to
procure or grant incentives for. At the Member States level, product panels involving
stakeholders on a cooperative basis have been developed to put more eco-efficient products on
the market.
? On consumption and lifestyle, education guidelines and toolkits, such as the one developed
by the Task Force on Education for Sustainable Consumption or the EU online consumer
education tool called Dolceta, have been elaborated to introduce sustainable consumption
into formal learning processes. A Retail Forum was set up recently engaging retailers at the
EU level to work together and with other stakeholders and the Commission at concrete actions
in favour of sustainable consumption.
? On long term growth and development strategies, the SCP/SIP Action plan called for by the EU
Sustainable Development Strategy is the main example of mainstreaming SCP in EU domestic
policy. The new EU 2020 strategy with its key priorities, i.e. knowledge and innovation, a more
sustainable economy, high employment and social inclusion will bring this forward. SCP
policies has also been integrated into national and sub-national SD strategies, including
Agendas 21 at local levels. And beyond its border, the EU has also supported SCP through
bilateral trade agreements and various programmes, such as the 90 million Euros
SWITCH Programme targeting Asia.
Based on our experience, the following challenges to Sustainable Consumption and
Production deserve to be highlighted:
? First, on production and the supply chain, the lack of integration across the whole lifecycle,
the need of ?absolute decoupling? and of synergies in the interdependent components of
sustainable development, in particular in sustainable trade strategies and CSR.
? Second regarding products, the need to evaluate and internalise external short and long
term costs in terms of human and environmental resources, and cooperating with new actors
such as retailers and media.
? Third, concerning consumption and lifestyle, the lack of demand side management and
instruments addressing consumption levels, for changing unsustainable behaviour and
avoiding rebound effects. This results in a misbalance in the number of policy instruments
targeting supply versus demand side. The challenge is to match sustainable technological
solutions with behavioural changes.
? And finally, on long-term growth and development strategies, the fragmentation of existing
strategies and approaches, the lack of coherence among existing policy instruments
targeting the same areas and finally the lack of capacity building and knowledge transfer
systems. The need to develop education in general, and education for sustainable consumption
in particular, and to provide adequate infrastructure and tools such as indicators to measure the
impact of developed countries consumption and production patterns on developing countries.
As a crucial element in this review of best practices and challenges in all regions, weunderline
the importance of meaningful review and follow-up arrangements for SCP. To embed the
SCP firmly in the UN-structures, Governments could consider what role each UN body could
play in the follow-up and implementation of 10YFP in social, environmental and economic
areas. In addition, the EU would like to emphasize the encouraging results obtained from the
Marrakech Process (MP), reflected in the information document distributed for this meeting.
The EU has also contributed to this process, including through the work of international
Marrakech Task Forces in close cooperation with partners from other regions of the world.
The MP has demonstrated its potential to promote progress on SCP worldwide. A continued
and strengthened MP, with its variety of actors and events such as NGO and Business Fora
and National and Regional meetings could represent an effective tool to support the
implementation of the 10YFP and should be utilized in the future as well.
Thank you for your attention.
Examples of good policies and practices on Sustainable
Consumption and Production
Focus 1: On production processes
Title Integrated pollution prevention and control
Level European Union
Description The EU adopted the directive on Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) in
1996. This directive gives a set of common rules for permitting and controlling industrial
installations with the aim to minimising pollution from various industrial sources
throughout the European Union. The directive is based on several principles, namely an
integrated approach, best available techniques, flexibility and public participation.
Description The EU supports SCP via the SWITCH-Asia Programme, with 90 million EUR
allocated for the period 2007-2010. The aim is to promote economic prosperity and help
reduce poverty in Asia by encouraging sustainable growth with reduced environmental
impact. The projects aim for example to introduce cleaner production, support green
products and eco-labelling, introduce energy saving techniques and encourage
sustainable Public Procurement and Corporate Social Responsibility.
Description The European Commission has developed practical tools to facilitate the uptake of
environmental criteria in public procurements, ex. Training Toolkit on green public
procurement (designed for use by green public procurement trainers or for integration in
general public procurement training courses), Handbook on environmental public
procurement. In 2008, the Commission published a Communication on public
procurement for a better environment, which provides guidance on how to reduce the
environmental impact caused by public sector consumption and proposes a voluntary
50% GPP target for Member States to be reached as from 2010.
Title Sustainable public procurement policy
Level EU Member States
Description Several Member States have used public procurement to pursue social and
environmental goals. It can be a requirement of equal pay between men and women is a
condition for public contracts to be performed in the country. It can also be a Special
Contract Arrangements (SCA) requires contracting authorities to give special
consideration to buying goods and services from suppliers which employ severely
disabled people. One country developed a sustainable procurement guide including
social and environmental criteria for about 70 product- and service groups.
Source Task Force on Sustainable Public Procurement, CSD Reports
Title European Multi-stakeholder Forum on Corporate Social Responsability (CSR)
Level European Union
Description The European Multi-stakeholder Forum on CSR launched in October 2002 provides a
platform among the main stakeholder groups at European level - employers, trade
unions, business organisations/networks and civil society organisations - with the
Commission playing a facilitating role. It aims to promote CSR practices and
instruments, in particular by exploring the appropriateness of establishing common
guiding principles, taking into account existing EU initiatives and legislation and
internationally agreed instruments such as OECD Guidelines for multinational
enterprises, ILO core labour conventions and the International Bill of Human Rights.
Focus 2: On better products
Title Eco-design of Energy-using Products
Level European Union
Description The EU adopted the directive on Eco-design of Energy-using Products in 2005. The
Directive defines conditions and criteria for setting, through subsequent implementing
measures, requirements regarding environmentally relevant product characteristics and
allows them to be improved quickly and efficiently. Following the EU SCP action plan,
the scope of this Directive will be enlarged to include all energy-related products, which
are products that do not consume energy during use but have an indirect impact on
energy consumption, such as water-using devices, windows or insulation material.
Title Product panels
Level EU Member States
Description Many countries develop "product panels", interactive and co-operative approaches
among different stakeholders in order to develop and disseminate cleaner and more ecoefficient
products on the market, considering the supply and demand sides. They are
based on interaction between the participating players by learning, negotiating and
exchanging information. Product panels started mid nineties.
Title Retail Forum
Level European Union
Description The European Commission has set up a Retail Forum, involving a number of other
stakeholders, including producers, as well as consumers and other nongovernmental
organisations. The aim of this forum is to get large individual retailers to commit to a
series of ambitious and concrete environmental actions, which will be monitored
regularly. The European Commission will also support measures to increase consumer
awareness and help shoppers make more sustainable choices.
Focus 3: On consumption and sustainable living
Title EU Ecolabel
Level European Union
Description The EU adopted the directive on the EU Ecolabel in 1992. The label is easily
recognisable by its flower logo, takes into account the main environmental impacts of a
product as well as its environmental performance. Only those goods with the lowest
environmental impact (10-20% of products) will be able to meet the criteria. The label
currently covers cleaning products, appliances, paper products, clothing, home and
garden products, lubricants and services such as tourist accommodation.
Title Strategy for Europe on Nutrition, Overweight and Obesity related health issues
Level European Union
Description The European Commission published in 2007 a white paper on a ?A Strategy for
Europe on Nutrition, Overweight and Obesity related health issues?. This strategy aims
to better inform consumers, to ensure healthy options for the consumers and to
encourage physical activity. The white paper stresses that: The actions described are
intended to work across government policy areas and at different levels of government
using a range of instruments including legislation, networking, public-private
approaches, and to engage the private sector and civil society.
Source DG Health and Consumers
Title Education for Sustainable Consumption (Dolceta)
Level European Commission
Description Dolceta is an online consumer education tool, designed to inform and educate consumers
on sustainable consumption, among other topics. The tool is designed for use by
consumers across the EU (27 Member States, 21 languages), from school children to
adults in formal learning and work situations and at home. Dolceta provides facts and
information in non-technical language as well as teaching material for teachers (lesson
plans and classroom activities for use with learners of all ages). The project is initiated
and financed by the European Commission and it is managed by EUCEN(the European
Association for University Lifelong Learning) and national teams in all the EU Member
States.
Source DG Health and Consumer Affairs
Web site www.dolceta.eu
Title Education for Sustainable Consumption (ESC)
Level EU Member States
Description Many countries develop ESC instruments entering often within the framework of the UN
Decade on Education for SD (2005-2014). One of them has developed an Educational
toolkit on sustainable consumption for schools that addresses various topics such as
sustainable use of resources, shopping, product labelling, sustainable housing, product
life cycles and ecological footprint. Worth to mention is also the Recommendations and
guidelines on ESC developed by the Task Force on ESC.
Source CSD Reports
Task Force on ESC
Web site http://www.un.org/esa/dsd/dsd_aofw_ni/ni_pdfs/NationalReports/czech/
Consumption_Production.pdf
http://www.unece.org/env/esd/inf.meeting.docs/SC/SC-4/HereandNowLayout2…
Focus 4: On horizontal strategies at the different governmental/ intergovernmental levels
Title Sustainable Development Strategy calling for SCP Action plan
Level European Union
Description The 2006 renewed EU Sustainable Development Strategy (EU SDS) foresaw that the
Commission would propose an EU Sustainable Consumption and production Action
plan by 2007, which should help to identify and overcome barriers for SCP and to
ensure better coherence between the different related policy areas and to raise
awareness among citizens and change unsustainable consumption habits. The European
Commission adopted the Sustainable Consumption and Production and Sustainable
Industrial Policy Action Plan in 2008. It includes inter alia some of the above mentioned
good practices. Moreover, the list of sustainable development indicators (SDI)
developed to monitor the EU SDS includes a set of SDI on SCP.
Source DG Environment
Web site http://ec.europa.eu/environment/eussd/escp_en.htm
Title National Sustainable Development Strategy (NSDS) integrating SCP
Level EU Member States
Description Some countries have NSDSs integrating SCP as a key component. For example, the
NSDS (2002) and its follow-up working programmes can take a particular SCP featured
approach, with sustainable products and services as well as consumption and lifestyles
amongst the central themes addressed. In another country, a proposal for a national SCP
programme was endorsed for implementation by the government by means of approval
of the renewed NSDS in 2006, which addresses SCP and makes a commitment for the
implementation of the SCP programme.
Source DG Environment
Website http://www.mop.gov.si/fileadmin/mop.gov.si/pageuploads/podrocja/okolje/…
background_paper_national_SCP_strategies_reviw.pdf
Title European Union Cohesion Fund
Level European Union
Description The Cohesion Fund which serves to reduce the economic and social shortfall as well as
to stabilise the economy of Member States whose gross national income per inhabitant is
less than 90% of the Union average, may intervene in areas related to environment and
in areas related to sustainable development which clearly present environmental benefits,
namely energy efficiency, use of renewable energy, developing rail transport, supporting
inter modality, strengthening public transport, etc.
Source DG Regional Policy
Web site http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/funds/cf/index_en.htm