Congrès International sur l'Analyse du Cycle de Vie Lille ... - avniR

Congrès International sur l’Analyse du Cycle de Vie Lille, Novembre 2011
La communication de données
environnementales : comment faire évoluer le
consommateur ?
// Communication of environmental data: how to
influence consumer choice? Perspectives and
experiences from France and abroad on
environmental labelling
La session est animée par Pierre Echard.
Development of a European methodology for the calculation of
products and companies Environmental Footprint,
Michele GALATOLA, Chargé de politiques à la direction générale
environnement, Commission européenne
In Europe environmental labels and methodologies are multiplying, which could threaten inte rnal
markets. The European Council therefore asked the European Commission to develop a harmonized
European methodology based on life-cycle assessment, due end of 2012, which will calculate the
environmental footprints of products and companies. The environmental footprint will be linked to
consumer information and will fall under the work done in ecodesign and energy development
products. It could potentially refine existing labelling schemes in Europe.
The Commission will analyze different policies for various products to evaluate whether or not they
need another legal framework. It is also looking at revising the Ecolabel, how unfair commercial
practice are implemented, and to what extent Member-States can be required to be more proactive in
linking VAT and incentives to the environmental performance of products and organizations. We will
develop green claims and green washing and next year we will start working on sustainability
strategies for food commodities.
We have attempted to identify the environmental performance of product distribution in the market.
Currently the Ecodesign directive is trying to cut the 20% worst performing products from the market
while the Ecolabel wants to reward the 20% best performing. There is as yet no tool designed to
address the products which lie in between. Our work within the EC was to identify existing tools at an
international level and pick from the best. We discovered there are issues which prevent existing
methodology from being used for policy-making such as inconsistent information, mishandling of
information assessment, lack of visibility for SMEs and of specific guidelines for sectors and products.
Our methodology around life-cycle assessment considers the most relevant environmental impacts
based on product category rules. Comparability will be given priority over flexibility since studies’
results are often interpreted to make them comply with ISO standards, which is problematic when
trying to compare data. We are working through the ISCD handbook to develop environmental sector
rules and product category rules. The ISO 12014 has been excluded at this point but it might be a part
of the methodology at a later stage.
We expect delivery of our methodology by end of 2012. We are currently waiting for feedback from
methodology owners. As the first guideline draft was made available 2-3 weeks ago. We are running
road tests for both methodologies on 10 products and 10 organizations. We have two communication
path based on product footprint and corporate footprint. They are different in scope though there is
some overlap which facilitates data collection for companies.