EuP Methodology

Introduction
Methodology
Implementing Measures
Frequently Asked Questions
The Working Plan

The preparatory studies can be broken down into eight stages:

1. Define the Product
The EuP Directive uses the CE conformity mark, so the first step is to determine a clear, legal, unambiguous definition of the products being considered.

2. Economic and Market Analysis
The first criterion for inclusion is that sufficient units of the product must be sold each year. If sales don’t exceed 200,000 units/year the study stops here. Otherwise the study assesses market trends.

3. Consumer behaviour and local infrastructure
This determines how consumers use the product, and what happens at the end of its life. Local infrastructure may influence this, for example, prolonging the life through repairs etc.

4. Technical analysis of existing products
This analyses the materials and processes employed during production, distribution, and use of the product and at the end of its life.

5. Assessment of ‘the base case’
The second criteria for product inclusion in EuP is that the product has a significant environmental impact within the EU. To assess this, a base case is calculated, estimating the current environmental impacts of an average product. This uses the EuP EcoReport spreadsheet tool.

6. Technical analysis of Best Available Technology
Identifying the Best Available Technology (BAT) and Best Next Available Technology (BNAT) to inform possible design options.

7. Improvement potential
The EcoReport tool is used to identify potential design options that could lead to improvements in environmental performance, along with the cost implications of this. The options can be ranked, including cost implications, to assess the Least Life Cycle Cost (LLCC) which presents a minimum target for meeting the third criterion for inclusion: that there is significant potential to reduce the product’s environmental impact without entailing excessive costs.

8. Scenario, policy, impact and sensitivity analysis
This considers policy options to achieve the potential product improvements. Options could include setting BAT as a promotional target, and LLCC as a minimum performance target, using legislative or voluntary agreements, or product labelling. A range of scenarios will be considered for 1990 to 2020, comparing and quantifying potential improvements compared to business as usual, or other EU environmental targets.

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