1. 9th Meeting of the Steering Group of Priority Area 8
Strengthening of Competitiveness: Environmental product declaration (EPD) Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) Organisation Environmental Footprint (OEF)
9th Meeting of the Steering Group of Priority Area 8
Vladimir Kočí, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague
Luboš Nobilis, ECO trend s.r.o.
Andrej Udovč, University of Ljubljana

2. How to strength competitiveness?
First option – high production, low price, doubtful quality and durability, minimal or none respect for environmental and social aspects, burdens in externalities, “no-name” product and producer
Second option – accent on high quality and durability, high respect for environmental and social aspects, „product with curriculum vitae“, fair price
The StreCom project is focused on the second option!

3. Main assessment instruments principle - LCA
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a fundamental method of all instruments covered by the project:
- Environmental product declaration (EPD)
- Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) - Organisation Environmental Footprint (OEF)
LCA is a method for environmental assessment of products and services
LCA is standardized by ISO and 14044

4. Instruments principle - LCA
LCA enables to evaluate impacts of products within the whole life cycle – starting with mining, through production, trade till utilization and removal („from Cradle to Grave“)
Using LCA it is possible to evaluate impact (contribution) of product and service on various areas of environment – global warming (carbon footprint), lack of raw materials, eutrophication, acidification, water consumption (water footprint), toxicity, eco-toxicity, etc.
LCA’s results are being used for eco-efficiency assessment of measures implemented in industry or tools related to LCA (EPD, OEF, PEF)

5. LCA and tools based on this method stimulate product and process innovations as well as quality improvement.

6. Environmental Product Declaration - EPD
Environmental Product Declaration (EPD - type III of Ecolabelling), can be very efficient tool for communication of product aspects on the B2B level.
With regard to the complexity and detail it is applicable to other types of eco-labelling (on the level B2C) and mainly to the increase of products eco-efficiency within design, development and production phases.
EPD is actually a quality standard on the EU market of building and insulation materials and often also in the field of furniture, chemistry or electroequipments (ecodesign).
EPD is standardized by ISO 14025

7. Environmental Product Declaration - EPD
Essential elements of the system (type III) are in various development stages in the area of Danube region. In some cases they are carried out only formally or totally missing.

8. StreCom focusing on EPD
With regard to the requirements for complexity, transparency and branch specifics in the field of EPD, solid and clear structure of organizational elements is needed for efficient development.
Danube region is consisting of countries (such as Germany, Austria) with already well developed structures for application of EPD, while there are advanced countries (e.g. Czech Republic) and regions where EPD is more or less known (e.g. Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, etc.).
Project goal is to create or update organizational structure and policies
on national levels in the Danube region.

9. Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) Organisation Environmental Footprint (OEF)
PEF / OEF methods represent other tools for interpretation of LCA’s results, being developed by European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC IES) and other European Commission services.
Purpose of PEF / OEF is reliable and correct measurement of environmental products and organisations profiles. They include information serving as an essential element when deciding on environmental issues.
PEF / OEF results are suitable for Green Public Procurement.
The goal of the project is to implement methods PEF / OEF on national levels including pilot utilization in recommended public / private branches (OEF / PEF).

10. Project Goals
Formation and implementation of EPD, PEF and OEF standard and national processes in Danube region countries
Improvement of institutional gaps - creation or update of organisational structures (branch operators) and policies on national levels of each country involved (national EPD programmes)
Capacity building in terms of structure framework integration for further EPD development (branch operators, elaborators, licence holders, interested parties – producers) – creation of international group in order to transfer know-how

11. Project Goals
Benchmark methodology setup - joint effort to raise competitiveness of producers from participated countries, creation of baseline for environmental differences analysis within same product range in particular countries
Development of tools and services in the field of eco-labelling, increase of eco-efficiency and competitiveness
Pilot actions implementation - PEF / OEF method implementation on national levels, pilot project in relevant public sectors

12. Framework activities 1) Preparatory activities
a) Elaborating of project proposal and partners consortium establishment - completed
Elaboration of project frame (goals, activities, timetable, work packages etc.)
Invitation of stakeholders (experts, universities, NGO’s) from various countries (with focus on Danube Region Countries)
Invitation of selected representative from various countries (with focus on Danube Region Countries)
Frame research of current status and progress in particular countries
b) Project completion and submission

13. Framework activities 2) Project activities
Detailed research of current status and progress in particular countries
Elaboration of joint framework and development strategy for EPD
Development of EPD tools and expert/service infrastructure in particular countries (know-how transfer), pilot applications
Design and implementation of PEF / OEF in particular countries, pilot testing of tools
Networking, common strategy, environmental cluster initiation

14. Partner Consortium
Czech Republic - University of chemistry and technology Prague (coordinator) + ECO trend s.r.o.
Germany - University of Stuttgart
Slovenia – University of Ljubljana
Slovakia - Technical University in Zvolen
Hungary - University of Pannonia
Serbia - University of Novi Sad
Croatia - University of Zagreb
Romania / Bulgaria - denkstatt Romania Ltd. / denkstatt Bulgaria Ltd.

15. Work packages WP1 – Completion of stakeholders’ national networks
WP2 – Structure and standards (for implementation of LCA, EPD, PEF, OEF)
WP3 – Joint framework and cluster (together with advisory companies and SMEs)
WP4 – Pilot actions (real EPD, PEF and OEF implementation)
WP5 – Communication and dissemination
WP6 – Project management

16. Link-up to Danube Action Plan
The project is focused on structuralization and implementation of eco-innovation instruments for business corp.
It encourages an integrated approach in Environmental –> Competitiveness –> Economic development –> Human resource development
The project is designed as win-win solutions through eco-innovation instruments implementation and initiation of international collaboration

17. Link-up to Danube Action Plan
The macro-region impact of the project consists of implementation of eco-innovation instruments in countries where there are no actual standards.
These instruments have great potential for increase of environmental standards of products and its implementation in business (EPD) and public administration (PEF and OEF).
The sophisticated instruments as LCA/EPD, PEF and OEF represent the way towards transparent and effective environmental management on regional / national and EU level.

18. Link-up to Danube Action Plan
The Main Relevance
PA 8) To support the competitiveness of enterprises, including cluster development
to foster cooperation and exchange of knowledge between SMEs, academia and the public sector in areas of competence in the Danube Region
to improve business support to strengthen the capacities of SMEs for cooperation and trade

19. Link-up to Danube Action Plan
Connected Relevance:
A) Connecting the Danube region
3) To promote culture and tourism, people to people contacts
to develop the Danube region as a European brand
to enhance cooperation and contacts between people of different origins, to encourage creativity, and provide a driving force for cultural innovation and economic development, based on heritage, traditions and tourism”.

20. Link-up to Danube Action Plan
C) Building prosperity in the Danube region
7) To develop the knowledge society through research, education and information
To cooperate in implementing the flagship initiative “Innovation Union of the Europe Strategy” in the Danube Region countries
To stimulate the emergence of innovative ideas for products and services and their wide validation in the field of the Information Society, using the concept of Living Labs
Link-up to existing EU policies / implementation of Directives / associating of existing transnational bodies

21. Thanks for your attention
References:
LCA -
PEF / OEF -
EPD -
Contacts:
Ing. Luboš Nobilis, (main contact person)
Prof. Andrej Udovč,
Doc. Vladimir Kočí,