The Integrated Product Policy seeks to continuously improve the environmental performance of products following a life cycle perspective. To achieve this, IPP aims at offering a variety of policy instruments either voluntary or mandatory. It is a bottom up process driven by market forces. Orgalime supports the overall objective of IPP. Engineering companies, essentially driven by market forces, are constantly improving the environmental performance of products without, however, compromising their fitness for purpose or other important aspects, such as health and safety, in a competitive and innovative market.

In close collaboration with their members, industry associations are working hard to disseminate best practices developed by leading companies. Our industries will continue along this path.

 

 

 

We believe that the EU should provide a convincing strategy towards Integrated Product Policy, which should aim at ensuring coherence and a coordinated approach in product related environmental policy initiatives. It should use industry’s experiences and leave room for industry led initiatives. Market forces should therefore drive the process. If IPP is to develop from the concept to practice, those, who are already and every day seeking to improve the environmental performance of products, namely industry, should be involved and their experience integrated.

We have submitted our contribution to the stakeholder consultation launched by the Green Paper on Integrated Product Policy. In the course of the preparation of the IPP Communication we have been giving our opinion to the Commission. Please find our reflections here. Orgalime has provided its recommendations to the European Parliament.

We are closely monitoring actions taken by DG Environment in order to implement the IPP communication, including the Pilot Product exercise focusing on mobile phones which aims to demonstrate how IPP can work in practice. We are also following the developments of the Evaluation of Environmental Impact of Products (EIPRO) Study carried out to identify products with the greatest potential for environmental improvement.

For more information about the implementation of IPP, please consult the website of the Commission here. Orgalime’s involvement in IPP is focusing on the draft directive for establishing a framework for the setting of eco design requirements for energy using products (EUP), which regulators claim to be a first model directive.

 

Picture Courtesy of Bosch