(1)

Under Regulation (EC) No 66/2010, the EU Ecolabel may be awarded to those products with a reduced environmental impact during their entire life cycle.

(2)

Regulation (EC) No 66/2010 provides that specific EU Ecolabel criteria are to be established for each product group.

(3)

Commission Decision 2012/721/EU (2) has established the ecological criteria and the related assessment and verification requirements for industrial and institutional laundry detergents, which are valid until 14 November 2016.

(4)

In order to take into account the recent market developments and the innovation that has taken place during the intervening period, it is considered appropriate to establish a revised set of ecological criteria for that product group.

(5)

The revised criteria, as well as the related assessment and verification requirements, should be valid for 6 years from the date of notification of this Decision, taking into account the innovation cycle for that product group. Those criteria aim at promoting products that have a reduced impact on aquatic ecosystems, contain a limited amount of hazardous substances, are effective at the recommended temperatures, and minimise waste production by reducing packaging.

(6)

For reasons of legal certainty, Decision 2012/721/EU should be repealed.

(7)

A transitional period should be allowed for producers whose products have been awarded the EU Ecolabel for industrial and institutional laundry detergents on the basis of the criteria set out in Decision 2012/721/EU, so that they have sufficient time to adapt their products to comply with the revised criteria and requirements.

(8)

The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee established by Article 16 of Regulation (EC) No 66/2010,