Product Environmental Footprint-PEF

Developed by EU Commission DG Environment, PEF has been tested with variety of stakeholders for product environmental performance. The aim is to improve comparability among similar products that have the same function defined by predefined rules (PEFPCR).

PEFs can be seen as somewhere between Type I Eco-label and Type III Eco-label. For Type III Eco-labels, PEFs would bring comparability to EPDs so that the market could compare the products on environmental performance while giving also the opportunity to many sectors to assess environmental impacts of their products. For Type I Eco-labels, PEFs would bring almost any sector to environmental disclosures and overcome their limited/selected sector applicability.

PEF is currently in phase II of its development and its implementation as a policy options will be decided in coming years. Similar to EPDs, PEFs are prepared by using Life Cycle Assessment with PEFPCR guidance.