Know your Environmental Footprint

The European Commission takes stock of progress towards an EU-wide method to measure the Environmental Footprint of 26 products and organisations.

The European Commission is halfway through a pilot phase testing the Environmental Footprint method for a number of products and organisations. This is the first attempt to create a tool to compare similar products based on their environmental performance along the value chain. It takes into account impacts during a product’s life cycle, from extracting or growing the raw materials, through processing, transport and use, to disposal or recycling.

Part of the Single Market for Green Products initiative, adopted by the Commission in 2013, the aim is to make it easier for companies to market green products in the EU, and to boost consumer trust in environmental claims attached to goods.