The EU's new Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) aims to make products more environmentally friendly throughout their life cycle. It sets stricter ecodesign requirements for a wider range of products compared to the previous regulation. This will not only reduce environmental impact but also create a level playing field for businesses in the EU and potentially set global standards for sustainability.
Update: This guide has been updated to include the latest ESPR Working Plan released by the EU Commission (April 2025).
The European Union is taking a big step towards a greener future with the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR). This regulation aims to reduce the environmental impacts of products and improve the functioning of the internal EU market.
Previously, varying national regulations created inconsistencies in the requirements for product sustainability, so to achieve broader impact, the ESPR establishes uniform sustainability standards. These standards ensure products sold in the EU minimize their environmental impact throughout their entire life cycle, from resource extraction to disposal. Creating a level playing field for businesses that prioritize sustainability.
In simpler terms, the ESPR leverages the EU's massive market power and aims to set global standards for product sustainability. It does so by creating a framework and sustainability requirements that products placed on the EU market will have to follow.
To achieve these sustainability goals the ESPR expands on the earlier Ecodesign Directive 2009/125/E. While that Directive focused mainly on energy-related products, the ESPR will cover a wider range of products, from textiles to electronics and creates stricter sustainability standards
The ESPR includes:
While the ESPR will eventually apply to nearly every product sold in the EU, the rollout will take time and most product groups aren’t on the table just yet.
This first working plan, launched on April 16, 2025, details how the EU plans to achieve the ESPR’s big goals by focusing on specific products and requirements over the next few years.
The ESPR applies to almost all physical products that are placed on the EU market or put into service. Some product categories are exempt when ecodesign criteria are impractical or covered by other regulations such as medical products and food.
All economic operators, such as manufacturers, importers, dealers, service providers that introduce products on the EU market are subjected to the obligations of the ESPR.
Almost every physical product in the EU (think clothes, furniture, electronics) needs to follow these new eco-friendly rules. There are some exceptions, like for food and medicine, because making special ecodesign requirements wouldn't make sense for those products, or they're already covered by other laws.
These requirements apply to all economic operators involved in placing products on the EU market, including importers, sellers, and service providers.
The EU carried out studies and stakeholder consultations to decide which product groups should come first under the ESPR.
Products were chosen based on their potential to support climate, environmental, and energy goals, as well as factors like market impact, legal gaps, sales volume, and performance differences. So for the next three years the products in scope are:
Final Products:
Intermediate Products:
Horizontal Requirements for the products in scope:
While not listed, ICT products are still a focus via upcoming horizontal requirements, with some covered under energy-related product regulations. The EU is currently studying the intermediate products and may initially set only information requirements to avoid overcomplication.
In the future, energy-related products, including those already regulated under the earlier Ecodesign Directive 2009/125/EC will be regulated under the ESPR. The earlier Ecodesign and Energy Labelling Working Plan of 2022-2024 already covered 35 products. Current work under this plan will continue for 19 of these energy-related products.
This working plan carries over 16 product categories related to energy efficiency and consumption, spanning household and professional appliances, industrial equipment, lighting, and portable electronics.
More detailed information can be found on page 8 of the official document, which provides a table overview.
Detergents, paints, and lubricants are not included in this first plan.
Footwear was also left out for now, but due to its environmental impact a study is underway and evaluates the potential to improve the environmental sustainability of footwear under the ESPR and will be completed by the end of 2027.
Chemicals are excluded as well, given their complexity, a study will be launched by the end of 2025 to explore how they could fit into future ESPR plans.
The ESPR provides the legal basis for setting the ecodesign requirements, however these requirements will vary per product category. In the delegated acts, the specific requirements per product category will be outlined, these are still under development and will be published by January 2026.
However, there is a lot that we know today. First, product categories with a significant environmental impact will be prioritized. Textiles are a key focus area of the European union and will for sure be in scope for the first release of the ESPR
The ESPR, the foundation for setting ecodesign rules, will provide any and every textile product in the EU with a Digital Product Passport. As mentioned before, the exact requirements will follow in Q1 2026. But here is the information that is currently available.
Products placed on the EU market will need to follow ecodesign requirements addressing (the 9Ps):
The Digital Product Passport (DPP) is more than just a feature of the ESPR, it’s officially recognised by the EU as a key enabler of the regulation. It makes the rollout of ecodesign measures possible by turning complex product data into something transparent, traceable, and accessible across the entire value chain.
The DPP ensures that relevant information,like material composition, substances of concern, carbon footprint, durability, and how to repair or recycle a product is available to those who need it: businesses, consumers, and public authorities.
While energy-related products will continue using the trusted energy label linked to the EPREL database, all other regulated products will require a DPP. Some may also carry an ESPR label, a guarantee of durability label or other labels defined under EU rules, such as for textiles.
The Commission is already developing the technical foundations standardising how DPPs will work across sectors, including the rules for data carriers, infrastructure, and interoperability. The exact information required will be outlined in product-specific delegated acts.
In short, the DPP turns the ESPR’s ambition into action. It connects data, people, and processes making the transition to sustainable products truly possible.
The ESPR requires a DPP to follow these criteria:
The ESPR introduces rules to reduce waste, meaning that businesses will have to be more open about what happens to products they can’t sell.
They will need to publicly disclose:
While the ESPR allows the EU to make rules to ban the destruction of unsold products and include these bans in working plans, the Commission will not implement this option in this Working Plan. They are awaiting data from the new disclosure rules, which will inform potential future bans.
The ESPR allows the EU to set mandatory minimum requirements for public procurement, meaning that public buyers, like governments, could be required to purchase the most environmentally sustainable products when it makes economic sense.
For the products prioritized in this working plan, the Commission will assess both the product’s ecodesign rules and whether public procurement requirements should be added.
For energy-labelled products, public procurement is already linked to energy performance through existing laws like the Energy Labelling Framework Regulation and the Energy Efficiency Directive.
On April 23, 2024 the EU Parliament officially adopted the ESPR and the final approval of the EU council has come into effect. After this, the delegated acts laying out the specific requirements per product category will be developed. Product categories such as textiles are prioritized.
Note: This table includes both past and upcoming deadlines. Upcoming dates that are shaded indicate the expected timeline, but these are subject to change. Please refer to EU Parliament resources for any changes.
In EU law, adoption is when a rule or delegated act is officially approved and published, meaning it legally exists. So this adoption means when the delegated act is posted listing the specific requirements for the (product) category.
However, businesses don’t have to follow it immediately. That comes later, during application, which is the date when the rule actually starts to apply and must be followed.
There’s usually a gap between adoption and application (often at least 18 months) to give companies time to prepare. For example, in the case of apparel, the application of the first requirements could be foreseen for 2028.
The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products and Energy Labelling Working Plan 2025–2030 sets out which product groups and requirements will be prioritised for new ecodesign rules over the next three years.
While the ESPR (Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation) establishes that all products sold in the EU must eventually meet sustainability requirements and have a Digital Product Passport, this Working Plan outlines where the EU will start.
The Working Plan highlights which products will be first to meet new requirements like improved durability, lower energy use and a Digital Product Passport.
These priority products are part of a structured rollout lasting at least three years. During this period, the European Commission will research these products, consult with stakeholders, and develop "delegated acts" that will define the exact rules for each product group.
This Working Plan thus kicks off with the initial product categories and requirements listed above, and includes a mid-term review scheduled for 2028.
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