SBS published its comments on the ESPR Preparatory Study and Impact Assessment support study on furniture. The study, launched by the European Commission to understand how furniture is made, sold and used across Europe, will feed into future Ecodesign requirements and the revision of EU Ecolabel criteria for the sector. SBS believes that any Ecodesign requirements developed for furniture should be grounded in the Think Small First principle.
SBS highlights the following key points:
- Recognise custom-made and built-in furniture under Recital 13 of the ESPR, simplifying the Annex I product parameters.
- Leverage the direct manufacturer–customer relationship typical of SME furniture businesses to simplify information obligations, allowing information and DPP-type requirements to be conveyed through existing channels.
- Calibrate DPP data requirements to the fragmented, non-digitised reality of the sector, where data is largely paper- or PDF-based and environmental/footprint information is typically available only at company level.
- Ensure clarity and alignment of all relevant definitions, including on reliability, repairability and refurbishment, and consider the interplay with the upcoming European Product Act.
Read the comments below.
