Environment and development: production, trade and consumption of greener products. Green Paper

The committee adopted the report by Cristina GARCIA ORCOYEN TORMO (EPP-ED, E) on the Commission Green Paper. It was critical of the policy proposal outlined by the Commission and said that a more exhaustive study should have been carried out into the successes and failures of existing IPP policies such as the European eco-label scheme, the directive on packaging, etc. It also regretted the lack of clear objectives with timetables and the lack of methods and indicators for monitoring IPP. The report stressed that IPP must complement existing legal instruments and should not under any circumstances be used to replace or water down EC legislation. It was also important for the effect on business, education and social affairs to be taken into acount during the process of developing and implementing IPP. Moreover, services should be included within the scope of the IPP in order to reduce the undesirable effects they have on the environment (especially transport and tourism). The committee suggested a number of elements which should form part of an integrated product policy, such as: incorporating environmental concerns into European standardisation; establishing precise and uniform environmental indicators based on an analysis of products' life-cycle; and ensuring that product prices accurately reflected environmental costs, through the use of price mechanisms and measures promoting the internalisation of external costs. Rather than penalty schemes, it wanted to see measures designed to encourage both businesses and individuals, such as financial assistance for bringing production procedures up to standard and tax incentives. The report stressed that experience with the IPP concept or the experience gained in individual sectors in the Member States should be made available throughout the EU and incorporated into future legislation. Lastly, it recognised the need to draw up a long-term educational strategy to provide guidance for producers and consumers and said that key information regarding the entire life-cycle of products or services should be made available to consumers.�