EU Ecolabel Validity Period Extended For Textiles and Footwear

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EU Ecolabel Validity Period Extended For Textiles and Footwear

The European Commission has established the EU Ecolabel criteria for electronic displays, and extended the period of validity of the EU Ecolabel for textile products and footwear. The Ecolabel is part of a voluntary scheme, which commenced in 1992, and was revised in 2010. Under the scheme, the EU Ecolabel can be awarded to products which have a reduced environmental impact (in other words, are more environmentally friendly). The scheme aims not to discriminate between EU‑made and foreign‑made products. The framework regulation sets out product groups for the application of ecological criteria that consider the energy use of a product throughout its life cycle. These criteria have to be fulfilled before an Ecolabel may be awarded to products from any of the product groups concerned. It may be noted that the European Commission has recently given its green light to the extension of the ecological criteria for both textile products and footwear and the related assessment and verification requirements, until 31 December 2025. The textile product group includes textile clothing, interior textiles (excluding floor coverings), non‑fibre elements, cleaning products as well as yarn and fabric. Products that are intended to be disposed of after a single use, and fabrics that form part of structures intended for outdoor use, are not included in the textile products product group. For footwear, the product group comprises all articles designed to protect or cover the foot, with an applied sole which comes into contact with the ground. The group does not include footwear containing any electrical or electronic component, footwear designed for single use, socks with an applied sole or toy footwear. EU Ecolabel licences awarded in accordance with the criteria can be used for 12 months from the date of adoption of this Decision (which was on 27 November 2020).