The European commission will propose expanding an EU eco-design law for energy-using devices to all manufactured products, says a draft policy paper expected to be published by the European commission on 20 May. The document outlines the commission's plans for a package of measures to drive sustainable consumption and production.

Clothing, cleaning products, waste water, furniture and buildings components could all be considered under the law, according to the draft seen by ENDS. Only transport is specifically excluded, because "separate policies and legislation already exist".

Energy-using products (EuP) account for only 35 to 40 per cent of the environmental impacts of all products, the draft paper says in justifying the plan to expand the EuP law. It had signalled the move already earlier this year.

The goal would be to set minimum energy and environmental requirements to keep the worst-performing products off the market. At the same time, voluntary benchmarks would identify the top 20-30 per cent of performers, suggests the draft. Both minimum and top standards would be periodically reviewed.

An EU labelling scheme for energy-using products would be expanded in line with the eco-design directive. Performance benchmarks developed under the latter would feed into the former.

Not every product would necessarily have to bear a physical label, but the benchmarks would set mandatory standards for public procurement and fiscal incentives if member states wished to develop these.

The EU's long-standing flower ecolabel would complement mandatory labelling rules as a "label of excellence" for about the top ten per cent of products. Coverage of the ecolabel would remain wider than that of the EuP or energy labelling directives.

To promote "leaner production" the commission wants to develop "tools to monitor, benchmark and promote" resource efficiency and eco-innovation; material-based resource targets "will be addressed at a later stage".

The EU's Emas eco-management scheme will be "significantly revised" to increase company participation. An environmental technology verification scheme will be set up to verify the environmental performance of new technologies. And the commission will develop an industrial policy for environmental industries.

Follow-up: European commission, tel: +32 2 299 1111, plus draft sustainable production and consumption communication.