Sofeast CEO Renaud is joined again by friend of the show and product compliance expert, Clive Greenwood of SMC GLOBAL Manufacturing Consultants, to talk about the new ‘Ecodesign for sustainable products regulation’ set to become law in 2023 that will have a serious impact on importers of products into the EU, especially those made in Asia.

This regulation will require comprehensive supply chain information for all actors, assemblers, sub and sub-sub-suppliers, too. Do you know who they are?

It will also drive importers to produce more sustainable products with a focus on improving their circularity, energy performance and other environmental sustainability aspects. Again, are you ready to change course with all that entails (sourcing, new suppliers, certifications, etc)?

Listen here!

Listen: EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation. How ready are YOU? (Feat. Clive Greenwood)

Watch: on Youtube

Episode sections

• 00:00 – Greetings & Introduction to today’s topic
• 01:19 – Some background.
• 03:29 – What is the Ecodesign regulation going to be?
• 07:12 – Verifying the supply chain
• 17:12 – A LOT more due diligence will be required by buyers.
• 21:00 – What’s the difference between an EU directive and an EU regulation?
• 23:10 – Compliance with the Ecodesign for sustainable products regulation will be taxable.
• 25:00 – Targeting ‘bad’ industries like Fast fashion.
• 28:23 – How ready are YOU?
• 33:01 – Traceability using a product passport.
• 38:09 – The CSRD (EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive) will replace the NFRD (EU Non-Financial Reporting Directive) reporting requirements starting in 2023.
• 41:02 – What can YOU do to cope with these changes?
• 44:40 – Summary of what the EU Ecodesign regulation focuses on. 
• 45:40 – Wrapping up. 

A disclaimer…

We at Sofeast are not lawyers. What we discussed above is based only on our understanding of the regulatory requirements. We do not present this information as a basis for you to make decisions, and we do not accept any liability if you do so. Please consult a lawyer before taking action.

Related content

Next…jump straight into part 2 on this topic: How To Comply With The EU Ecodesign Regulation?

We’ve created some great resources on this topic – read them and get help here:

• What is the EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation? – long guide from Sofeast
• How To Get Transparency And Control Over Your Supply Chain? [podcast]
• REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL
  (establishing a framework for setting ecodesign requirements for sustainable products
  and repealing Directive 2009/125/EC) – if you want to read the forthcoming regulation in full.
• Ecodesign for sustainable products (EU document)
• What is the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)?
• How To Push a Chinese or Vietnamese Supplier for Supply Chain Transparency
• Sofeast can help you do a full background check on new (or existing) suppliers in Asia
• We can also source suppliers who provide transparent supply chain information to help you comply with EU demands

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