Action Pack for Sustainable Consumption and Production

The action plan lists the initiatives the Commission will undertake in 3 areas:
1. A new product policy: Energy and resource-efficient consumer products; Mandatory labelling; Voluntary eco labelling and Retailers’ responsibility to improve large retailers’ environmental performance, promote the purchase of greener products and better inform consumers.

2. Promoting leaner production:
•    Developing targets and tools to monitor, benchmark and promote resource efficiency and eco-innovation. An Environmental Technology Verification scheme will be established, to support eco-innovation through increased confidence in new technologies.
•    Revising EMAS, the EU’s voluntary eco-management and audit scheme, to increase its uptake, notably among SMEs, by making participation less costly and involving organisations outside the EU.
•    Developing an industrial policy for eco-industries by first analysing the barriers to their expansion and to their full uptake by other sectors.
•    Promoting environmental performance in small enterprises (SMEs) through customized advice.

3. Sustainable consumption and production internationally
•    Supporting agreements of industry sectors as part of international climate negotiations
•    Promoting and sharing good practice internationally
•    Promoting international trade in environmentally friendly goods and services

Examples of gains in efficiency and cost reduction
30% of the energy used in buildings could be saved with positive economic effects in 2030. Better window insulation would contribute to reducing CO2 emissions by more than one fifth, while reducing costs to households. Significant gains are also estimated for water related devices such as baths, showers and taps.