Governance & Policy
Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR)
Definition
The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, Regulation (EU) 2024/1781, extends the EU's ecodesign framework beyond energy-related products to nearly all physical goods. It enables product-specific requirements on durability, repairability, recycled content and environmental footprint, introduces digital product passports, and prohibits the destruction of unsold apparel and footwear.
References
Legal text, product passports and destruction ban
Policy context
Overview
What it means
Sustainability attributes of products become market-access conditions set through delegated acts, starting with priority product groups.
How it is used
Manufacturers track the ESPR working plan; retailers prepare for destruction bans and passport data; circular-economy teams design to anticipated criteria.
Why it matters
It is the backbone of EU product-level circularity law, turning circular design principles into binding product rules.
Review questions
What source or framework gives the term authority? What boundary or role is being described? What evidence would a reviewer need before relying on the term?