Activities of Birgit COLLIN-LANGEN related to 2016/2272(INI)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on a longer lifetime for products: benefits for consumers and companies
Amendments (47)
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas a balance must be struck between extending the lifetime of products and innovation, research and development;
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the study commissioned by the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection demonstratshows that broad- based policy measures thare needed to promote the circular economy, in particular through public policya longer lifetime for products;
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas a usage-based economic model has emerged which can help to reduce the adverse environmental and social consequthe functional economy could provide an answer to the wide range of challencges of a model based largely on the ownership of goodsfacing consumers today;
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas, as the circular economy develops, further steps must be taken to encourage the repairability, adaptability, upgradeability, durability and recycleability of products, in order to extend the lifetimes and the useful life of products and/or product components;
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas the second-hand market plays a role in the social andgreater harmonisation of the arrangements for the re-use of products will boost the local economy and inthe integrating people in difficulty into the labour marketrnal market by creating new jobs and stimulating demand for used goods;
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion
Recital B b (new)
Recital B b (new)
Bb. whereas ever greater product diversity, ever shorter innovation cycles and constantly changing fashions are increasing the frequency with which new products are purchased and thus shortening the useful life of products;
Amendment 26 #
Draft opinion
Recital B c (new)
Recital B c (new)
Bc. whereas a balance should be struck between the aim of extending product lifetimes and safeguarding an environment which still offers incentives for innovation and further development;
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J
Recital J
J. whereas, despite the EESC study of March 2016 establishing a positive link between product lifetime labelling and consumer behaviour, the information provided to consumers on the durability and reparability of products is still poor and inconsistentconsumers are not being properly informed about the lifetimes of products;
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J a (new)
Recital J a (new)
Ja. whereas the lifetime of a product and the way it ages are determined by various natural or artificial factors, for example composition, functionality, cost of repair and consumption patterns;
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital J b (new)
Recital J b (new)
Jb. whereas, in addition to a long lifetime, the level of quality of a product throughout its life cycle is fundamental to the contribution it makes to resource protection;
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital K
Recital K
K. whereas there has been an increase in the number of national initiatives to remedy the problem of premature obsolescence of goodpromote longer lifetimes for products, and whereas there is a need to develop a common strategy for the single market;
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L
Recital L
L. whereas the lifetime of digital media is crucial to the lifetime of electronic appliances, and whereas, given that software is becoming obsolete more and more quickly, electronic appliances need to be adaptable in order to staydetermined by the compatibility of hardware and software and new technical developments often put an end to that compeatitive on the marketbility;
Amendment 40 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Emphasises that the development of new business models, such as internet- based services, new forms of marketing, department stores selling only used goods and the more widespread availability of informal repair facilities (repair cafes, workshops in which people can do their own repairs) can help to extend product lifetimes and at the same time increase consumers' awareness of and trust in products with a long lifetime;
Amendment 43 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Emphasises that the qualities that make a product repairable, durable, reusable and recyclable should be incorporated into its design since the amount of resources that a product uses is largely determined at the design phase; points out that product design is an important factor in the transition to the circular economy, because it has implications for the life cycle of the product in question;
Amendment 46 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Calls on the Commission to establish minimum resistance criteria for each product category from the design stage, by workWelcomes the fact that the Commission is trying to develop requirements concerning in the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardisation (CENELEC) to lay down standards which cover product robustness, reparability, upgradeability, etc.lifetime and greater environmental sustainability of products and the resultant benefits to consumers;
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Calls for the eco-contribution to be geared to compliance wiWelcomes the fact that the revision of the Waste Package has strengthened the product lifetime extension criteria, in order to reward the efforts of the best manufacturersinciple of extended manufacturer liability and thus created incentives for more sustainable product design;
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 2
Subheading 2
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 – introductory part
Paragraph 4 – introductory part
4. Calls on the Commission to develop the right to product reparability:take measures to promote the reparability of products;
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 – indent 3
Paragraph 4 – indent 3
- by insisting that parts which are essential to the functioning of the product are replaceable, and by including the product’s reparability among its ‘key features’,
Amendment 76 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Points out that the replaceability of batteries which have reached the end of their useful life is an important factor in extending product lifetimes; Calls on the Commission to consider reviewing the Batteries Directive (2006/66/EC) to include an obligation for manufacturers to design products in a way that makes battery replacement possible;
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 – indent 5
Paragraph 4 – indent 5
- by standardising the spare parts andencouraging the standardisation of the tools necessary for repair, in order to improve the performance of repair services,
Amendment 82 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Points out that responsible product use hinges on consumers being able accurately to assess the environmental impact of products on the basis of their life cycle, their environmental footprint and their quality;
Amendment 83 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 – indent 6
Paragraph 4 – indent 6
- by poolroviding information on the availability of parts, repair guides, etc., where appropriate through the establishment of a digital platform;
Amendment 85 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5b. Points out that an incentive for more sustainable product design can be provided by strengthening the principle of extended manufacturer liability and laying down minimum requirements to be met;
Amendment 93 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)
Paragraph 6 a (new)
6a. Calls on the Commission to draw up measures on the provision to consumers, if appropriate only on a voluntary basis, of information on the expected lifetime of a product, the number of use cycles it is designed to withstand and the scope for having it repaired, so that consumers can make better informed purchasing decisions;
Amendment 103 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 – indent 3
Paragraph 5 – indent 3
Amendment 109 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Calls on the Commission to take measures to ensure that products which are still usable can be fed back into the circular economy more easily and more effectively;
Amendment 112 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Points out that the option of going to an independent repairer should always be safeguarded, for example by banning technical or software-related schemes which prevent repairs from being performed other than by approved firms or bodiesInsists that there should be the option of going to an independent repairer;
Amendment 117 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 3
Subheading 3
Amendment 126 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Urges the Commission to focus on developing the functional economy and to conduct a study into the ways in which individual product families are fostering or holding back the development of this economic modelpromote responsible consumer behaviour in Member States and among stakeholders, including within education, and in the process take account of the sustainability of the functional economy;
Amendment 127 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)
Paragraph 9 a (new)
9a. Notes that comprehensive assessments must be carried out of product and service types providing added value for the internal market, consumers and resource protection measures before new economic systems such as the functional economy are introduced;
Amendment 128 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
Amendment 139 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Urges the Member States to use their public policies to promote the functional economy, to ensure that the durability of products is taken into account in public procurement and to increase the re-use rate of equipment purchased by public authorities;
Amendment 144 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Calls on the Commission, when promoting the circular economy, to stress the importance of product durability and to provide financial incentives for social and economic innovations supporting re-use, the usage economy and repairs;
Amendment 147 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
Amendment 153 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 – indent 1
Paragraph 14 – indent 1
Amendment 157 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 – indent 2
Paragraph 14 – indent 2
Amendment 170 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Calls, where the anticipated lifetime of products is stated, for that information to be based on standard criteria;
Amendment 174 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Calls for local and regional authorities, companies and associations to be given help inall relevant stakeholders to conducting consumer awareness campaigns on extending the lifespans of products, in particular involving the provision of advice on maintenance, repair, re-use, etc.;
Amendment 178 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 5
Subheading 5
Amendment 179 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
Amendment 197 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 – indent 2
Paragraph 17 – indent 2
- by extendconsidering thea legal guarantee of conformity beyond the current two-year minimum for families of energy-using products on the basis of the product life cycle study carried out as part of the ecodesign process, and introducing a minimum period of five years for large household appliances and movable fixed assets gradually, so that companies can comply,
Amendment 201 #
Amendment 206 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
Amendment 209 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 7
Subheading 7
Protecting consumers against softwarefunctional obsolescence
Amendment 222 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Calls for the introduction of an eco-contribution penalty in cases where software updates essential to the operation of a device are not provided, and calls for theseessential software updates updates to be reversible and accompanied by information on the consequences for the operation of the device;