(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 2012/481/EU (2) established the criteria and related assessment and verification requirements for the product group ‘printed paper’. The period of validity of those criteria and requirements has been extended to 31 December 2020 by Commission Decision (EU) 2018/1590 (3).

(4)

Commission Decision 2014/256/EU (4) established criteria and related assessment and verification requirements for the product group ‘converted paper products’. The period of validity of those criteria and requirements has been extended to 31 December 2020 by Commission Decision (EU) 2017/1525 (5).

(5)

In order to better reflect best practice in the market for these product groups and to take account of innovations introduced in the intervening period, it is appropriate to establish a new set of criteria for printed paper, stationery paper, and paper carrier bag products.

(6)

The EU Ecolabel Fitness check Report (6) of 30 June 2017, reviewing the implementation of Regulation (EC) No 66/2010 concluded on the need to develop a more strategic approach for the EU Ecolabel, including the bundling of closely related product groups where appropriate.

(7)

In line with those conclusions and after consulting the European Union Ecolabelling Board it is appropriate to revise the criteria for the product groups ‘printed paper’ and ‘converted paper products’, 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.

(8)

Since the two product groups ‘printed paper’ and ‘converted paper products’ are closely related and their criteria will overlap, it is appropriate to adopt a single decision with one Annex for both product groups.

(9)

The product group name should be modified to ‘printed paper, stationery paper, and paper carrier bag products’ to better reflect product functionality and ensure the clarity of the products included in the scope. This should also increase the visibility of the schemes for market participants and reduce the administrative burden for national authorities.

(10)

In addition, in line with the review, certain modifications should be made to the definition of the product group ‘printed paper, stationery paper, and paper carrier bag products’, notably to make a clearer distinction between different type of products.

(11)

The New Circular Economy Action Plan for a cleaner and more competitive Europe (7) adopted on 11 March 2020 stipulates that the durability, recyclability and recycled content requirements are to be more systematically included in the EU Ecolabel criteria.

(12)

The revised EU Ecolabel criteria for printed paper, stationery paper, and paper carrier bag products should aim, in particular, at using paper-based products manufactured in a more sustainable way and sourced from sustainably managed forests or recycled materials. The new criteria should be based on a life cycle analysis approach and aim to promote energy efficient manufacturing processes and to reduce emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that contribute to the photochemical oxidation, human toxicity, abiotic depletion, eutrophication, acidification, and climate change. The revised criteria should restrict the use of hazardous substances, address emissions generated during the printing process, reduce the quantity of paper waste generated in a process and increase product recyclability, which contributes to facilitate the transition to a more circular economy.

(13)

The new criteria and related assessment and verification requirements for each product group should remain valid until 31 December 2028, taking into account the innovation cycle for the two product groups.

(14)

For reasons of legal certainty, Decisions 2012/481/EU and 2014/256/EU should be repealed.

(15)

A transitional period should be allowed for producers whose products have been awarded the EU Ecolabel for printed paper products, or converted paper products, on the basis of the criteria set out in Decision 2012/481/EU or Decision 2014/256/EU respectively, so that they have sufficient time to adapt their products to comply with the new 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 those Decisions or on the new criteria established by this Decision. EU Ecolabel licences awarded in accordance with the criteria set out in one of the old Decisions should be allowed to be used for 18 months from the date of adoption of this Decision.

(16)

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,