UEAPME General Assembly Tours, 30 October 2008

Guido Lena, UEAPMEDirector Sustainable Development Unit

European Sustainable Development Policy

Priorities for Crafts and SMEs

The main issue 08/09: SCP Action Plan

Sustainable Consumption and Production Action Plan includes:• Overarching strategy + Revision of EMAS, Eco-Label, Eco-

Design Directive, Labelling Directive and Greening of Public Procurement (part of EU strategy to fight climate change)

Main challenge (overarching strategy + revision Eco-

Design):• New higher minimum environmental and energy requirements

for products to be allowed on the market (1st barrier)• A new general labelling system (A, A+, B…): only the products

with the highest labels can: receive European subsidies + be subject to public procurements!(2nd barrier)

New manufacturing philosophy! Danger: lots of SMEs out of the market!

Solutions proposed by UEAPME

Create the right framework for SMEs: ? Preliminary economic and social impact assessments,

preliminary information, thresholds, exclusions, technical and financial supports, long implementation terms, simpler implementation…

Through a new version of ECAP (Environmental Compliance Action Programme) linked to a strong SBA

How to achieve this result:? Already met Commissioners (Verheugen, Dimas) and

very high Commission’s officials? Now action on European Parliament and Council starts Joint efforts needed!