EU-China Ecodesign and Standards Cooperation Project

Client: European Union

Duration: 2018-present

Location: PRC, Belgium

Contract Value: EU 31,385

Catalogue: Economic Development

Project Description

This project’s main purpose is to enhance the ability of the Chinese administration to work with the EU approach, policies and standard in order to improve competitiveness, productivity as well as resource and energy-efficiency and to better address climate change-related challenges. The proposed action aims to promote EU product policy and test standardization approaches and measures in China to mitigate climate change, promote energy-efficiency and enhance environmental protection. It will therefore contribute to improving the sustainable competitiveness of both EU’s and China’s economy.

The project has three major outputs, including (i) Expanding the scope of influence of EU Eco-design and Energy Labelling requirements and European measurement standards, and increasing the reach of EU product policy measures globally; (ii) Improving through framework actions- the competitiveness of EU exporters and reducing market entry barriers and costs for EU manufacturers entering the Chinese market for products where regulations are under development in China. (iii) Improving the compliance rates of imported Chinese products placed on the EU internal market.

Services Provided by NAREE

A training toolkit on EU Ecodesign policies and standardization – Together with our partner IBF, NAREE developed a bilingual English-Chinese toolkit to support the Green Goods Policy of China, including all the necessary resources on the EU Eco-design and Energy Labelling Policy framework to prepare the different seminars. The toolkit focuses on key products, and develops techniques and examples for building an understanding of the policies and processes of related documents (directives, regulations, methodologies and analytical approaches, test standards).

Three capacity building training seminars – NAREE and IBF organized three training seminars on the EU Ecodesign and Energy Labelling regulatory processes, including product measurement standards aimed at familiarizing Chinese officials to the EU system. We provided tailored, learner-centric support to training participants, supervise and guide assigned exercises, and overall ensure an optimal outcome. This transfer of expertise supported the Chinese administration in designing their national policies and standards by taking into account the European processes, policy measures and measurement standards.

Two policy reports – NAREE and IBF developed: a report with lessons learnt on the implementation of the action and recommendations on how the EU and Chinese product policy and standardization systems can continue to collaborate and work better together in the future; and a report on Chinese standards and regulations in the area of Eco-design and Energy Labelling, or equivalent, and their possible options for future evolution addressed the EU industries and EU standardization organizations.