(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 according to product groups.

(3)

Commission Decision 2011/381/EU (2) established the criteria and the related assessment and verification requirements for lubricants. The period of validity of those criteria and requirements was extended to 31 December 2018 by Commission Decision (EU) 2015/877 (3).

(4)

The EU Ecolabel Fitness check (REFIT) of 30 June 2017, reviewing the implementation of Regulation (EC) No 66/2010 (4), concluded on the need to develop a more strategic approach for the EU Ecolabel, including streamlined criteria for selecting products. In line with those conclusions, and in consultation with the EU Ecolabelling Board, it is appropriate to revise the criteria for lubricants product group, taking into consideration the current success, stakeholders' interest in the product and potential future windows of opportunity for increased uptake and market`s demand on sustainable products. The definition of the product group ‘lubricants’ should be modified to include a reference to the functionality of the product instead of its composition. This is to ensure that the definition clearly covers all relevant lubricant compositions.

(5)

In order to take into account recent market developments and innovations that have taken place in the intervening period, it is appropriate to establish a new set of EU Ecolabel criteria for the product group ‘lubricants’. The aim of those criteria should be to promote products that have a limited impact on the aquatic environment, contain a limited amount of hazardous substances and performance as well as or better than a conventional lubricant available on the market. In line with the objectives of the European strategy for plastics in a circular economy (5), the criteria should also seek to facilitate the transition to a more circular economy by encouraging improved design and by further incentivising the demand for recycled materials.

(6)

The new criteria, as well as the related assessment and verification requirements, should remain valid until 31 December 2024, taking into account the innovation cycle for that product group.

(7)

For reasons of legal certainty, Decision 2011/381/EU should be repealed.

(8)

A transitional period should be allowed for producers whose products have been awarded the EU Ecolabel for lubricants on the basis of the criteria set out in Decision 2011/381/EU, so that they have sufficient time to adapt their products to comply with the revised criteria and requirements. For a limited period after adoption of this Decision, producers should also be allowed to submit applications based either on the criteria established by Decision 2011/381/EU or on the revised criteria established by this Decision. Where the EU Ecolabel was awarded on the basis of the criteria established by Decision 2011/381/EU, use of it should not be permitted after 31 December 2019.

(9)

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,