Pierre Henry

European Commission Directorate-General for Environment

Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) as a tool in support of circular economy

Policy framework

Environmental Technology Verification was developed as an instrument for eco-innovation in SMEs under the Eco-Innovation Action Plan.

Commission Staff Working Paper SEC(2011) 1600 final

ETV is also part in the Green Action Plan for SMEs:

enabling SMEs to turn environmental challenges into business opportunities

Commission Communication COM(2014) 440 final

ETV mentioned in the Circular Economy Action Plan:

supporting SMEs access to innovative technologies. Commission Communication COM(2015) 614 final

is a third-party validation of the performance of innovative environmental technologies.

that

What is ETV?

Environmental Technology Verification (ETV):

• promotes innovative environmental technologies

• helps manufacturers to prove the reliability of their claims, and technology purchasers to identify innovations that suit their needs.

• accelerate the market uptake of innovative environmental technologies

Positioning of ETV

Pilot

and demonstration

Test of concept

Testing

in-house or in labs

Early product with innovative technology

3rd party Verification Bodies

Mature product

Product

certification

Standardised performance tests

3rd party

certification Bodies

Performance claims

ETV Statement of Verification

ETV process

Specific protocol preparation phase

Assessment and Verification phase

Testing phase

If new tests are needed

Contact phase

Proposal phase

Publication phase

ETV pilot programme

Pilot programme set up with 7 Member States, implemented by 14 accredited Verification Bodies

Active in 3 technology areas:

• Water treatment and monitoring

• Energy technologies

• Materials, waste and resources

14 accredited verification bodies available

Examples of verification

• Aerobic Biodegradation of bio-based plastic materials under marine condition

Novamont – Certiquality – 2015

• Bio-based content of a compound composed of vegetable fiber and biopolymer

FuturaMat – Rescoll – 2016

• Lighting induction system for poultry farming

Greengage Lighting – NPL - 2016

ETV and circular economy

ETV to help business, in particular SMEs, benefit of circular economy opportunities by accessing reliable information and proving performance claims for example on: New recycled, bio-based or recyclable materials

Resource-efficient processes

Performance of re-manufactured equipments

Integration of innovative requirements in supply chains and public procurement

Pre-standard specifications or compliance to generic requirements

International aspects

New ISO standard 14034 on ETV published in November 2016

ETV programmes existing in Japan, Korea, the Philippines, in transition in Canada and the USA

More than 1400 technologies verified globally by

ETV programmes; cooperation to achieve mutual recognition based on ISO standard

EU ETV what is next ?

Evaluation of EU ETV program in 2017

ETV pilot to continue running during evaluation Explore synergies with other environmental policies

1. ETV as support to Green Public Procurement and Public Procurement of Innovation

2. ETV as support to legislations based on technology performance, e.g. support to emerging techniques under IED

3. ETV as complement to standards, e.g. on raw materials, to Product policy tools (ecodesign, labelling, environmental footprint)

Thank you for your attention

ENV-ETV@ec.europa.eu

https://ec.europa.eu/environment/ecoap/etv