Exporters of energy-using products have been told to get ready
for a new EU environmental protection regulation that will take
effect from tomorrow.
The EU directive on the eco-design of energy-using products
(EuP) will affect all links in the industry chain - from design,
manufacturing and transport to disposal.
So said an official from the bureau of fair trade for imports
and exports under the Ministry of Commerce, but he declined to be
named.
The directive will influence the trade of all energy-using
products except vehicles and will have "a direct impact on
companies involved in the machinery and electronics industries,
chemicals and metallurgy", he said.
The EuP directive was announced in 2005 and aims to reduce
environmental harm. Products will be required to meet power
consumption guidelines set by the European Union. Most
manufacturers will also have to do lifecycle assessments of their
products to determine environmental impact.
In the short term, the directive will increase companies' outlay
in product development - including research, environmental impact
assessment, procurement of technologies and patents, and energy
consumption testing, the official said.
"In the medium and long term, however, firms can lower their
costs by optimizing design, controlling materials during
manufacture and reducing disposal costs, because environmental
impact will be factored into their strategies," he said.
Companies "shouldn't see it as an increase in costs or view as a
loss any decline in exports as a result of the directive". But he
suggested firms exporting in certain areas to the European Union
get prepared for the change.
Most exporters have been preparing for the regulation since it
was announced several years ago, said Chen Yansheng from the China
Association of Lighting Industry.
He said a small number of exporters could give up on the EU
market if they don't think they'll meet the requirements of the
directive.
The EuP directive will eventually become law in EU member
countries.
It follows three other EU directives on environment protection:
RoHS, banning individual hazardous substances; WEEE, on the
disposal of electronic products; and REACH, restricting the use of
chemicals.
(China Daily August 10, 2007)
