Assessment of the EU Ecolabel criteria for printed paper, stationery paper, and paper carrier bag products : Commission Decision (EU) 2020/1803

The Commission performed an assessment to verify the current suitability and relevance of EU Ecolabel criteria for printed paper, stationery paper, and paper carrier bag products in Commission Decision 2020/1803. The assessment concludes that the criteria for this product group are still up to date. However, the User Manual needs to be updated to clarify some unclear points according to the questionnaire feedback received from respondents. The analysis suggests that the established EU Ecolabel criteria should be revised in synergy with the development of ecodesign criteria in the framework of the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR). Although JRC recommendations for the first ESPR Working Plan excluded the 'Books and printed paper' product group, the main environmental impacts for paper were covered by the shortlisted intermediate product group Pulp, paper and board. Ecodesign criteria for the Commodity chemicals intermediate product group, which ranked second in the JRC recommendations, should also be considered. However, the first ESPR and Energy Labelling Working plan adopted and published in April 2025 has excluded both 'pulp, paper and board', and 'chemicals' for the period 2025-2030. In this context, criteria for printed paper, stationery paper and paper carrier bag products should be revised based on the knowledge generated by the Industrial Emissions Directive BREF for pulp, paper and board and by the BREF for surface treatment using organic solvents. Since it is not known yet when future BREFs and potential ecodesign criteria may be developed either for pulp, paper and board or for chemicals related to the assessed product group, it is suggested to maintain the validity of the Commission Decision 2020/1803 as currently formulated until the expiry date on 31 December 2028.