Sustainable and Climate-Friendly Products: What Role Is There for Product Standards?

Abstract

The legal regulation of products within the European Union has witnessed significant developments over time. Originally driven by the imperative to remove barriers to the free movement of goods, it gradually incorporated environmental considerations, albeit to a limited extent. However, the importance of environmental requirements for products is gradually increasing and the effort to ensure that products placed on the market are sustainable and climatefriendly is gaining momentum. This article delves into the fundamental aspects of regulating products in the EU through the establishment of standards. It offers an analysis of the main trends of European standard-based product policy from a historical perspective and discusses various general contemporary issues of product standard-setting in the view of ensuring a high level of environmental protection.