The European Commission has outlined a 2025–2030 work plan under the Ecodesign [1] for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and Energy Labelling Regulation, placing steel among the priority sectors for new sustainability requirements. The initiative expands the regulatory framework beyond energy efficiency to include mandates for durability, repairability, and recyclability, aiming to reduce environmental impact and enhance circular economy practices.
Steel, alongside aluminium, apparel, furniture, tyres, and mattresses, has been identified as a key material for regulatory action due to its substantial role in industrial and infrastructure development. The Ecodesign plan will introduce harmonized EU-wide standards to improve product performance, minimize waste, and optimize resource efficiency. Measures will focus on requiring recycled content in steel products, enhancing reusability, and ensuring greater transparency on environmental footprints.
The regulation includes the implementation of Digital Product Passports, a tool designed to provide detailed sustainability information for consumers and businesses, reinforcing traceability and circularity within the steel supply chain. Additionally, the introduction of repairability scores aims to shift consumer and industry behavior toward more sustainable manufacturing and procurement processes.
Jessika Roswall, Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, emphasized the significance of the plan in driving industrial innovation and investment. She underscored the importance of setting clear priorities to provide legal certainty for manufacturers while advancing the EU’s transition to a fully circular economy.
stakeholders responded with cautious optimism, recognizing the potential benefits of harmonized standards while voicing concerns about gaps in the framework. Critics, including environmental groups, argue that broader inclusion of materials beyond the current scope could further strengthen sustainability outcomes and prevent low-quality imports from undermining EU markets.
The Ecodesign regulations for steel will be enacted through delegated acts, with detailed assessments and stakeholder consultations guiding implementation. Existing requirements under the original Ecodesign Directive for energy-related products will continue to evolve, ensuring consistency with the EU’s broader sustainability goals.
Sources:
[1] EU to set Ecodesign Plan Prioritizing Circular Standards for Apparel, Steel, Furniture https://esgnews.com/eu-targets-steel-textiles-and-furniture-for-sustainability-overhaul/