Towards an EU strategy on sustainable consumption after COVID-19

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Scope of the webinar

The webinar is organised to provide input into the preparation of an EESC own-initiative opinion on "Towards an EU strategy on sustainable consumption"

The opinion will contribute to the reflection on post-crisis recovery by providing concrete recommendations for a comprehensive strategy on sustainable consumption, as part of the European Green Deal.

In the short and medium-term:

  • all relevant policy tools (e.g. public procurement, labelling, taxation, etc.) should be coordinated and geared towards this vision, beyond the current fragmentation and silo approach;
  • the strategy must be people-centred, making sustainable consumer choices accessible and affordable, especially for those vulnerable populations and low-income households that have been - and will be - particularly hit by the crisis.
Context

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the fragility of the supply chain and the need for an urgent and systemic transformation of the way we produce and consume.

We need to:

  • acknowledge the responsibility of the private and public sectors to address unsustainable consumption needs;
  • adopt tools to help ensure that the healthier, more sustainable and safer choice is the easier choice for citizens.

As markets will not deliver sustainable outcomes automatically, a strategy on sustainable consumption is necessary now more than ever to create the regulatory framework that is conducive to sustainable post-crisis initiatives.