Review of the Eco-innovation Action Plan (EcoAP)

The increasing number of environmental challenges and resource constraints worldwide have led to growing demand for environmental technologies, products and services and have facilitated the emergence of green industries. Accelerated market uptake and dissemination of eco-innovation has the potential to improve environmental performance and resilience across the economy being at the same time cost-effective and good for business and society as a whole. Europe's first major initiative to boost eco-innovation came in 2004 under the form of the Environmental Technologies Action Plan (ETAP). ETAP focused on the further development and use of environmental technologies. Its goal was to tackle the various financial, economic and institutional barriers hindering growth of these technologies, as well as to encourage their market adoption. The Eco-innovation Action Plan (EcoAP) is the successor to the ETAP4. Launched by the European Commission in December 2011, this Action Plan was built on the experience gained in the ETAP. The EcoAP aims to promote eco-innovation, moving the EU beyond green technologies and fostering a comprehensive range of eco-innovative processes, products and services. The plan focuses on developing stronger and broader eco-innovation actions across and beyond Europe. The EcoAP constitutes an important element in the Europe 2020 strategy, which sets the course for the EU's economy for at least the next decade. As a response to the economic and financial crisis, this strategy focuses on smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, and aims to support the transition to a resource-efficient, low-carbon economy. Among its Flagship Initiatives is the Innovation Union (IU), designed to turn innovative ideas into products and services that generate economic growth and jobs. The European Commission selected a consortium led by IDEA Consult to conduct a detailed review of the Eco-Innovation Action Plan. The ultimate objective was to review the specific objectives of the EcoAP and to indicate potential revisions and enhancements in order to obtain a more effective implementation of the Action Plan in the future, including potential new focus areas. Given the new policy reality, the review identified and evaluated new policy options for the future, taking into account the new environmental, climate, societal and economic challenges that laid ahead. In the course of this project, Oeko-Institute was involved in the review of Action 2: Demonstration projects and Action 3: Standards and performance targets.