Addressing resource efficiency through the Ecodesign Directive: a review of opportunities and barriers

The European Union has initiated a number of initiatives to improve resource efficiency in Europe. The Ecodesign Directive is one of the policy instruments that could aid the transition towards a more resource efficient economy. This paper examines the potential benefits and disadvantages in applying the Directive for this purpose, and reflects on the potential to apply certain types of standards. The research builds on literature studies and interviews. A main conclusion is that some types of legal requirements are more feasible than others, and that the type of product and user patterns are of high importance when legal requirements are assessed