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Inter Ikea Systems BV

Inter IKEA Group

Inter IKEA Systems BV is the franchisor that connects IKEA franchisees with suppliers and sets strategic direction for over 500 IKEA stores worldwide.

Lobbying Activity

Meeting with Adnan Dibrani (Member of the European Parliament) and Google and

9 Dec 2025 · Digital frågor, Digital Omnibus

Meeting with Pascal Canfin (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and Responsible Business Alliance

2 Dec 2025 · Omnibus I

Inter IKEA Group urges modernization of EU rules of origin

1 Dec 2025
Topic — Evaluation of EU rules determining the economic nationality of imported goods.
Message — IKEA requests harmonized rules, digitized documentation, and recognition of recycled materials. They also propose a transition period of up to two years.123
Why — Standardized rules would lower administrative costs and improve predictability for global operations.4
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IKEA urges EU to harmonise rules for recycled materials

6 Nov 2025
Topic — The EU consultation seeks to improve economic security through sustainable circular business models.
Message — IKEA requests a harmonised EU single market with simplified recycling reporting and common definitions for waste. They propose tax breaks to make recycled products more affordable and competitive against virgin materials. Additionally, they oppose mandatory targets for recycled content sourced exclusively from within Europe.123
Why — Unified rules and tax incentives would reduce administrative burdens and lower IKEA's production costs.4
Impact — Waste-to-energy firms lose financial support as IKEA demands an end to incineration subsidies.5
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IKEA calls for EU ban on manipulative digital design

23 Oct 2025
Topic — The consultation addresses gaps in consumer protection regarding unfair online commercial practices.
Message — IKEA urges prohibiting manipulative design patterns that mislead consumers. They also request transparent pricing and simpler cancellation processes.12
Why — A harmonised regulation would create a level playing field for responsible businesses.3
Impact — Non-compliant actors lose the unfair advantage gained through deceptive design practices.4
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Meeting with Jessika Roswall (Commissioner) and

15 Oct 2025 · To discuss REACH revision

Meeting with Ilhan Kyuchyuk (Member of the European Parliament)

15 Oct 2025 · Omnibus 1 package & simplification efforts

Inter IKEA Group urges alignment and simplification of digital rules

13 Oct 2025
Topic — The Commission is consulting on a digital omnibus package to simplify EU regulations.
Message — The group requests keeping high-risk AI obligations on track. They propose streamlining cybersecurity reporting and managing cookie consent via browsers.12
Why — This would lower operational costs by removing redundant reporting and assessment requirements.34
Impact — Third-party consent management providers lose revenue if browsers handle privacy settings natively.5
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Meeting with Daniel Caspary (Member of the European Parliament)

1 Oct 2025 · Austausch

Meeting with Denis Redonnet (Deputy Director-General Trade)

1 Oct 2025 · The most important topics on DG TRADE’s agenda

Meeting with Pascal Canfin (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

26 Sept 2025 · Omnibus I

IKEA urges fairer rules for carbon border tax reporting

25 Sept 2025
Topic — This consultation defines the methodology for calculating actual embedded carbon emissions.
Message — IKEA wants consistent methodologies across all documents to prevent overestimation of emissions. They also request an expansion of the CBAM registry to include upstream operators. Finally, they seek practical ways to reflect the footprint of recycled materials.123
Why — IKEA would avoid paying inflated carbon costs caused by inaccurate material weight measurements.45
Impact — Low-carbon producers lose their competitive advantage if their green efforts are not recognized.6
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Meeting with Michał Wawrykiewicz (Member of the European Parliament)

24 Sept 2025 · OMNIOBUS I

IKEA warns EU against bypassing industry-led product standards

2 Sept 2025
Topic — The European Commission proposes modernizing product rules for the digital age.
Message — IKEA urges the Commission to prioritize strengthening existing industry-led systems rather than creating parallel government specifications. They argue that new rules must involve industry experts to ensure standards are technically robust. Any government-issued specifications should remain strictly temporary measures.123
Why — Aligning with international standards helps IKEA avoid the expense of redesigning and recertifying products.4
Impact — Regulators lose the power to quickly address safety gaps when industry-led standard processes stall.567
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IKEA warns against undermining industry-led European standardisation system

2 Sept 2025
Topic — The consultation addresses modernising EU product legislation and reducing business compliance burdens.
Message — IKEA urges the Commission to prioritise strengthening the existing standardisation system over adopting Common Specifications. They request that these specifications remain a temporary measure used only when strictly necessary. All relevant stakeholders must be consulted to ensure technical robustness and industry relevance.123
Why — Preserving industry-led standards prevents expensive product redesigns and maintains consistency across global markets.45
Impact — European industry loses global competitiveness if EU-specific rules lead to market fragmentation.6
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IKEA Group Urges Binding 2030 Zero-Emission Corporate Fleet Targets

27 Aug 2025
Topic — The initiative establishes minimum zero-emission vehicle requirements for EU corporate vehicle fleet registrations.
Message — IKEA recommends binding targets including 100% zero-emission cars by 2030. They also call for reliable infrastructure and a modernized electricity grid.123
Why — The proposal would provide investment certainty and support IKEA's own sustainability strategy.45
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IKEA urges transparent rules for recycled plastic content

18 Aug 2025
Topic — Common rules for calculating and reporting recycled content in single-use plastic beverage bottles.
Message — IKEA calls for a transparent methodology ensuring physical and chemical traceability of materials. They advocate for a 12-month limit on credit transfers and simple, transparent counting methods. They also suggest parallel reporting to identify inconsistencies in the data.123
Why — Clear rules provide the legal certainty needed for IKEA to transition its materials.4
Impact — Experimental chemical recycling firms lose out as only scalable technologies would be permitted.5
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IKEA Urges Flexibility in Reporting Rules for Unsold Products

10 Jul 2025
Topic — New EU rules requiring companies to disclose information about discarded unsold consumer products.
Message — IKEA wants to use estimates for reporting during the initial phase and align audit schedules with other EU laws. They also argue that unknown waste results should be treated neutrally instead of as destruction.123
Why — This approach would reduce administrative costs and prevent a fragmented compliance landscape for the company.4
Impact — Environmental protection efforts may be hindered if reporting allows for less precise data collection.5
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IKEA urges harmonized EU bioeconomy rules and innovation incentives

23 Jun 2025
Topic — This consultation aims to update the EU strategy for a circular, climate-neutral bioeconomy.
Message — IKEA requests clear, harmonized definitions across the EU that align with international standards. They advocate for financial incentives to support large-scale investment in sustainable bio-based materials. The company also recommends linking bioeconomy and circular strategies to increase access to recycled feedstocks.123
Why — Harmonized rules and financial aid would reduce compliance costs and de-risk major investments.4
Impact — The road transport industry may lose access to biomass as IKEA prioritizes production.5
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Meeting with Kerstin Jorna (Director-General Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs)

5 Jun 2025 · Single Market

Meeting with Vincent Hurkens (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Stéphane Séjourné) and Ingka Services A.B.

3 Jun 2025 · Simplification, CSRD, CSDDD

Meeting with Abir Al-Sahlani (Member of the European Parliament) and Ericsson and

14 May 2025 · Regelförenkling och hållbarhetsarbete

Meeting with Pascal Canfin (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and Pfizer Inc.

16 Apr 2025 · Omnibus I

Meeting with Alvydas Stancikas (Head of Unit Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs)

15 Apr 2025 · Informal exchange on packaging and labelling requirements

Meeting with Gijs Schilthuis (Director Agriculture and Rural Development) and Nestlé S.A. and

18 Mar 2025 · Exchange of views on the Vision for EU agriculture; discussion on the role of regenerative agriculture, benchmarking, public-private actions and access to finance in the context of transition

Meeting with Christophe Hansen (Commissioner) and

18 Mar 2025 · Exchange of views on the Vision for EU agriculture; discussion on the role of regenerative agriculture, benchmarking, public-private actions and access to finance in the context of transition

Meeting with Stéphane Séjourné (Executive Vice-President) and

18 Feb 2025 · Exchange of views on circular economy and on the Single Market

Meeting with Jessika Roswall (Commissioner) and

18 Feb 2025 · Exchange of views on the EU environmental legislation: Extended producer responsibility End-of-Waste criteria Ecodesign for Sustainable Product Regulation (ESPR)

IKEA urges EU to harmonize rules for circular economy

28 Jan 2025
Topic — Consultation on the 2025 strategy to enhance the EU single market.
Message — IKEA requests harmonized product requirements and environmental rules to eliminate conflicting national regulations. They urge the Commission to strengthen enforcement of mutual recognition and accelerate procedures against trade barriers.12
Why — Uniform regulations would lower production costs and simplify IKEA's cross-border supply chains.3
Impact — Member States lose the ability to implement unique national environmental or technical regulations.45
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Meeting with Lara Wolters (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

28 Jan 2025 · Omnibus

IKEA Urges Centralised Reporting to Cut Carbon Border Costs

27 Nov 2024
Topic — EU initiative setting rules for authorising companies to report carbon emissions on imports.
Message — IKEA proposes a single tool for filing reports across multiple European markets. They suggest simplified processes for trusted traders. They also want certain non-EU residents to act as declarants.123
Why — This would significantly reduce the administrative and financial burdens of managing multiple national accounts.45
Impact — Third-party service providers lose business if importers no longer need external legal risk management.6
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Meeting with Heléne Fritzon (Member of the European Parliament)

17 Sept 2024 · Meeting

Meeting with Pär Holmgren (Member of the European Parliament)

17 Sept 2024 · Corporate sustainability recommendations in next legislature

Meeting with Sofie Eriksson (Member of the European Parliament)

17 Sept 2024 · Möte med IKEA

Meeting with Kira Marie Peter-Hansen (Member of the European Parliament)

17 Sept 2024 · Green transition, circular economy, EU competitiveness and better corporate behavior

IKEA urges more realistic and flexible EU carbon sink targets

10 Jul 2024
Topic — EU consultation evaluating the effectiveness and future design of land use and forestry rules.
Message — IKEA requests more achievable targets for countries by accounting for land productivity and wood supply needs. They suggest merging land use rules with agricultural emissions to ensure they work together better. They also advocate for using actual emission data to reflect climate risks.123
Why — This secures a steady wood supply while avoiding penalties for failing to meet targets.4
Impact — Nature restoration efforts may suffer if they are viewed as a threat to carbon sinks.5
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Meeting with Martin Hojsík (Member of the European Parliament)

18 Apr 2024 · IKEA´s investments in Slovakia

Meeting with Tomas Baert (Cabinet of President Ursula von der Leyen)

27 Feb 2024 · Trade

IKEA Urges EU to Streamline Reporting and Cut Bureaucracy

1 Dec 2023
Topic — A European Commission initiative to reduce corporate reporting burdens by 25 percent.
Message — IKEA requests a stepwise approach and harmonized rules across Member States. They advocate for keeping limited assurance and aligning with international standards.1234
Why — Harmonization would reduce administrative costs and free up resources for sustainability.5
Impact — Environmental groups lose detailed traceability data for materials sourced from low-risk regions.6
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Response to Waste Framework review to reduce waste and the environmental impact of waste management

22 Nov 2023

We believe that the EU Waste Framework Directive is a one of the most important legislations that should support the transition to the circular economy, moving away as much as possible from waste management to resource efficiency. We feel a critical opportunity has been missed in addressing the fundamental issue of the definition of waste in the proposed revision of the Waste Framework Directive (WFD). We therefore emphasize the importance of revisiting and refining the waste definition as a foundational element of the WFD revision in a subsequent review, that should happen as soon as possible, whilst progress in other areas is also imperative such as the development of clear end of waste criteria. The proposed revision nonetheless can serve as a valuable opportunity for advancing harmonisation. Harmonised Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes can significantly contribute to improving waste management and promoting sustainability in textiles and, with ambitious targets for food waste management, the WFD revision can make a meaningful contribution to tackling global food challenges. It is our hope the following recommendations will be taken on board as the WFD revision advances, ensuring a more comprehensive and effective approach to waste management and sustainability in the EU.
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Response to Revision of the Union Customs Code

6 Nov 2023

IKEA strongly support the EU Commissions proposal for the revision of the Union Customs Code (UCC) aiming to simplify, digitalize, and modernize the customs procedures and welcomes the opportunity to provide feedback. The EUs customs union plays an important role in establishing a predictable and responsive customs environment especially for companies like IKEA with vast EU and international operations. The proposed reform strengthens the legal framework and the competitiveness of the Single Market, the digital capabilities, and the readiness for a greener EU. We look forward to the transformed and new Customs Union removing inconsistent interpretation and distortions in the application of the law at the operational level. As a multinational company with a global footprint, IKEA has extensive experience in handling administration and implementation of customs codes. We therefore want to share our views regarding the proposal to revise the Union Customs Code. The results of this reform will have a substantial impact on the customs evolution for decades. It is paramount that we ensure this fundamental reform improves the current situation and the essential position of EU trade overall, by reducing the administrative burden on both companies and competent authorities and ensuring a more effective and efficient implementation of the updated Union Customs Code. We believe the key considerations to achieve this are: - Including non-EU resident importers of countries within the Schengen or EFTA areas as importer/declarant and allowing Trust and Check Trader status privileges and benefits to those non-EU resident importers that fulfil the obligations and meet the requirements of the program. - Clear guidance and requirements for gaining a Trust and Check Trader status including clearly defining obligations that companies are realistically able to fulfil. - Challenging and realistic timelines for setting up the Customs Data Hub, consulting companies to ensure a smooth implementation with minimum disruption. - Exploring further all solutions that can offer economic and consumer protections to make sure all LVC shipments are in full compliance with the regulations without necessarily eliminating the De Minimis Threshold. - Full harmonization ensured by an EU Customs Authority aligned with each Member State not to add further layers of administration and bureaucracy. - Legal clarity on the minimum EU-wide penalty regime. Please see more on the above mentioned considerations in the attachment.
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Response to Revision of the Toy Safety Directive

27 Oct 2023

IKEA is a global home furnishing brand that brings well-designed, functional, affordable, and sustainable products to the many people. In IKEA we want the home to be a place where families with children love to play. We know play is learning for life, and we in IKEA have an important role to enable that, with great products that parents can trust and afford to give to their children. Developing products for children for us means starting from the childs perspective, with knowledge in everything we do and with safety always as a precondition. IKEA welcomes the revision of the EU Toy Safety Directive and its conversion into a Regulation. We believe consistent rules are crucial in ensuring that all customers are provided with safe solutions at reasonable prices. We hope that a Regulation directly applicable in all EU Member States will help an even more harmonized application of rules applicable to toys in Europe. While we continue assessing the draft proposal, we would like to offer the following preliminary comments on parts of the text that in our view would deserve additional consideration: 1. Clarification of definitions, e.g. for functional toy, substances of concern 2. Avoid duplications, such as per information provided in digital form e.g. CE marking 3. Focus on safety and enforceable requirements e.g. aspects like impact on well-being can be too subjective. 4. Clarify the scope, functioning and timeline for the Digital Product Passport, avoiding potential conflicts of overlaps with other legislative developments. 5. Ensure a smooth transition: to secure legal predictability, as well as avoid that safe toys placed on the markets need to be disposed of, it is important to allow the further sale of products complying with the Toy Safety Directive as long as they were placed on the market before the Toy Safety Regulation enter into force. You find attached our detailed comments. We remain at your disposal to continue the discussion.
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Response to Revision of EU rules on textile labelling

29 Sept 2023

IKEA welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the Commissions call for evidence on the revision of the Textiles Labelling Regulation. We believe that the update to the legislation is overdue, both from a perspective to increase clarity, flexibility and simplification of use, as well as to maintain consistency with ongoing and upcoming legislations. We also see this revision as required for the sustainable transformation of textiles and home furnishings sector, with digitization as a key enabler for the green transition and to achieve the objectives of the Green Deal. We wish to emphasize in brief the following points to be considered. Please look at the attached document for a more detailed position: 1. Need for coherence with other existing/proposed legislations - we urge the Commission to consider the various initiatives concerning textile products and ensure a unified approach to their regulation. Special attention must be given to aligning the Textile Labelling Regulation (TLR) with the ESPR and the forthcoming delegated act for textiles. We also request that the Commission refrain from introducing additional information obligations regarding allergenic substances under the TLR. 2. Clarity and simplification of the classification for novel fibres: a) a more flexible approach to fiber classification, with an option for a broader definition of MMCFs and other novel fibers, so that we can use a more flexible umbrella definition b) streamlining and simplifying the process to add new products to the list of textile names, including amending Article 6 and Annex 2 of the Regulation 1007/2011 and c) facilitating a more technically accurate classification of novel fibers when ready for commercialization 3. To better ease the uptake of recycled fibres and the circularity of the sector, we request to explore higher tolerance levels a. Increase a percentage of contamination by extraneous fibers for products which contains mechanically recycled fibers to 10% (from 5% currently) b. Increase a tolerance for blends to 5% (from 3% currently). 4. Digital labelling: We request the European Commission to consider the following information on textiles to be communicated digitally: all information requiring translations. background information about the supplier. any new type of information introduced in the TLR revision. Moreover, we ask the Commission that any new additional information request is based on clear consumer evidence for this widespread need. 5. Revision of TLR presents an opportunity to synchronize fiber composition testing methods with global standards 6. Ensure coherence with the World Customs Organisation and the current revision of the HS codes as well as with the commitments in the WTO Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement on use of international standards. 7. Labelling exemptions for certain type of products - consider supplying a clear definition of products exempted from mandatory labelling, where adding or removing a composition label will damage the product or its functionality 8. Need for regulatory clarity for new leather and fur requirements - request clarity on whether these requirements apply to all articles, or only to those for which the leather component reaches a specific threshold
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IKEA urges harmonised and efficient EU green claim rules

19 Jul 2023
Topic — The initiative requires companies to substantiate environmental claims using specific footprint methods.
Message — IKEA advocates for harmonising ways to measure environmental impacts at the EU level. They request a manageable pre-approval system to avoid long and costly procedures. The proposal should establish a centralised pre-approval process for labelling schemes.123
Why — This centralized approach would reduce administrative complexity and lower compliance costs.45
Impact — Consumers may face higher prices if the verification system is too costly.6
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IKEA calls for simplified EU carbon border reporting

11 Jul 2023
Topic — The consultation addresses reporting obligations for the transitional phase of the carbon border mechanism.
Message — IKEA wants the EU to use existing data structures to reduce administrative work. They also ask for non-EU resident importers to be eligible as official declarants.12
Why — This would lower compliance costs and remove the need to establish new EU offices.34
Impact — Non-EU producers may face protectionist barriers if the government sets default values too high.5
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Response to Ecodesign for Sustainable Products - Product priorities

11 May 2023

As a global home-furnishing brand, IKEA has a big responsibility and with it, big growth opportunities to make a large-scale, positive impact on climate and resource use by adopting a circular business model. One key piece of the puzzle is to adopt circular thinking during the product design process, developing it from the beginning to reach full circularity potential to be reused, refurbished, and remanufactured to prolong product life, and ultimately recycled. While there is a lot that we can steer on our own, cooperation will be key to reach meaningful change and setting the right regulatory framework and industry-wide cooperation are part of this equation. With this paper, we offer our input to the open public consultation on the Work Programme prioritisation under the Ecodesign Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), one of the most important initiatives intended to legislate sustainability, and we wish to contribute to this important development with our experience.
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IKEA urges harmonised EU packaging markings and rules

24 Apr 2023
Topic — The Commission is reviewing design and waste requirements for packaging in the European Union.
Message — IKEA requests harmonised markings and producer responsibility rules to reduce administrative burdens. They argue reuse targets should only apply if based on solid environmental evidence.12
Why — This would decrease operational complexity and reduce administrative costs across their global value chain.34
Impact — Member States lose the authority to maintain or introduce specific national environmental labelling systems.56
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Response to VAT in the Digital Age

31 Mar 2023

As the owner of the IKEA brand and worldwide IKEA franchisor, Inter IKEA Group works together with its franchisees and suppliers to co-create an even better IKEA offer and franchise system that benefits the many. We welcome the European Commissions VAT in the digital age initiative in order to modernize VAT reporting, adapt VAT treatment of the platform economy and facilitate VAT registration and compliance. We are encouraged to see the consideration the European Commission has made towards e-invoicing and digital reporting requirements (DRRs) to make the compliance process less cumbersome. Nevertheless, we would like to continue to emphasize the importance for the requirements to be fully harmonized so that there are no deviations between Member States, both in terms of the requirements and in terms of systems. It is important to have a clear streamlined process and clear explanation on the requirements to limit the discrepancies in interpretation between Member States. For example, we believe that invoicing deadlines could also be made clearer in the proposed text. As a business, invoicing can take place on arrival or on dispatch. Harmonization on what is meant with the time at which a transaction is finalized would be welcome. We also support e-invoicing as a default system (i.e. also applicable on local transactions). However, as mentioned above, it is important that the requirements on the invoices and invoicing systems are harmonized to avoid the need to have various systems in place. Furthermore, all B2B invoicing needs should be considered with the new standard as B2B flows include more non-VAT related requirements that businesses must adhere to. Overall, access to more transactional data increases the importance for Member States to secure the data remains confidential. We would like to express reservation regarding the removal of the possibility to issue summary invoices for all types of transactions (including local transactions). We understand the need to report on a transactional basis and on a (almost) real time basis. However, we believe that the removal of this possibility will lead to an unnecessary increase in the administrative burden for businesses. We believe it is important that summary invoices are clearly defined and specified, as they are a beneficial instrument overall. Finally, we believe there may also be a missed opportunity to not include local transactions in the same DRR reporting which could make it possible for Member States to provide pre-filled returns. This ultimately could have a positive impact on the overall compliance burden. To conclude, we support the European Commissions tax action plan for fair and simple taxation including modernizing and harmonizing VAT rules across the digital age. We remain ready to provide further information on our experiences as needed.
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IKEA Urges Strict Standards for EU Carbon Removal Certification

23 Mar 2023
Topic — This consultation addresses a new regulatory framework for certifying sustainable carbon removals within the EU.
Message — IKEA wants the framework to prioritize emission reductions and certify only long-term storage. They also propose including wood-based furniture as a valid form of carbon storage.123
Why — IKEA could certify its vast inventory of wood-based products as legitimate carbon storage.4
Impact — Industrial emitters like cement producers would be disqualified from being labeled as carbon removers.5
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Meeting with Filip Alexandru Negreanu Arboreanu (Cabinet of Commissioner Adina Vălean) and Unilever and

9 Feb 2023 · Revision of the Regulation on CO2 emissions standards for HDVs

Meeting with Daniel Mes (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans), Diederik Samsom (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans) and

26 Jan 2023 · CO2 emission standards for HDVs

Meeting with Jan Huitema (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and Swappie and IKEA Foundation

21 Dec 2022 · Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation

Meeting with Karin Karlsbro (Member of the European Parliament)

26 Sept 2022 · Trade, circular economy and the EU green deal

Meeting with Helena Braun (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans)

26 Sept 2022 · Implementation of the European Green Deal, in particular circular economy, biodiversity and forest policies

Meeting with Thierry Breton (Commissioner)

26 Sept 2022 · Circularity, sustainable use of forests, single market for secondary materials

IKEA urges EU to prioritize due diligence over trade bans

20 Jun 2022
Topic — This initiative aims to prohibit products made with forced labour from entering the EU market.
Message — IKEA requests that legislation focuses on strengthening due diligence mechanisms rather than trade-based import bans. They also propose an implementation phase allowing for self-declarations and recognized third-party certifications.123
Why — IKEA would reduce complexity and logistical challenges by avoiding regional bans and harmonizing requirements.45
Impact — Vulnerable workers lose economic support if companies divest from high-risk areas to avoid penalties.6
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IKEA Urges EU to Mandate Sustainability Rules for All Businesses

20 May 2022
Topic — Proposed EU directive requiring companies to identify and mitigate environmental and human rights risks.
Message — IKEA requests that mandatory sustainability rules apply to all actors in the value chain, including small enterprises. They argue the framework should focus on proactive risk management rather than just meeting contractual obligations.123
Why — Applying rules to all businesses ensures IKEA's suppliers share legal responsibility and compliance costs.4
Impact — Small and medium enterprises would lose proposed exemptions and face new mandatory legal requirements.56
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Response to Waste Framework review to reduce waste and the environmental impact of waste management

22 Feb 2022

IKEA fully supports the goal of the Commission of improving waste management and building the preconditions for a well-functioning market of secondary raw materials. In addition to the topics identified in the call for evidence, a revision of the Waste Framework Directive (WFD) should take into account the following: 1) Revisit the waste definition in light of the circular economy: the legal definition of “waste” does not allow to differentiate between products/materials able to be reused, repaired, repurposed or refurbished versus what should actually be recycled/disposed. Once the “waste” status comes in, it triggers all applicable waste legislation which is, in fact, more restrictive and complex. It also has an impact on ownership of materials/goods. If we want to enable more reuse, refurbishing and prolonged products’ life, we need to look again at waste definitions with circularity in mind. 2) Harmonise EPR schemes: Today, different Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) systems are set at the Member State level, each with different registration rules and reporting obligations. Even when there are common EPR rules in the EU, such as the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD), the scope, fees and reporting requirements vary across different Member States leading to a complex, expensive and inefficient system. A scattered approach to EPR rules will create uncertainties and undermine efforts for incentivizing better, circular, practices. A revision of the WFD should look into the benefit of harmonizing EPRs, including their scope definition, reporting, fee modularization. We encourage a centralised EU-registry to meet the obligations across all Member States. We urge to establish EU-harmonized definitions, by referring for example to existing EU legal definitions (e.g. for textile EU Regulation 1007/2011) and/or customs tariff codes for identifying product types. 3) Harmonise sorting rules (including labelling): today, a complex network of National legislative proposals is establishing National-specific recyclability symbols and sorting instructions, with mandatory requirements that differ and sometimes conflict within the EU. While a common approach to sorting of packaging may well be included in the revision of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive, the WFD can come in support of a bigger picture with a common approach to sorting and separate collection in the EU, beyond packaging waste. 4) Ensuring coherence with parallel legislative initiatives (including PPWD, Waste Shipment Regulation, Sustainable Product Initiative): we applaud the European Commission for having established a holistic approach to sustainability policies with the EU Green Deal. This is an exciting and historical opportunity to create a modern, comprehensive and clear regulatory framework. However, it is key that regulatory efforts are streamlined and efficient and smart in our efforts, avoiding competing and complicated legislation that could undermine the final goal. We need a clear and consistent approach and distribution of tasks, where for example topic areas such as incentives to sustainable product design are regulated under the most relevant legislation and harmonized at EU level, without duplication or potentially contradictory regulatory requirements. 5) Apply the waste hierarchy in practice: while we support the principle behind the waste hierarchy, we are aware that a restrictive application can have sometimes unintended negative consequences. This is for example the case of packaging, where reusability and recyclability can’t be placed in a strict hierarchy. We invite the Commission to pay careful attention to these issues, investigating the most environmentally positive impact in practice.
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Meeting with Joan Canton (Cabinet of Commissioner Thierry Breton)

13 Oct 2021 · Sustainable products initiative

Response to Setting of nutrient profiles

3 Feb 2021

The IKEA vision is to “create a better everyday life for the many people.” As part of this vision, IKEA is committed to work toward enabling better diets for the many people. We want to work collectively with food companies and external partners to make it easier for consumers to make healthy food choices. From this perspective, we welcome the EU initiative to establish a level playing field in the food business and aligned understanding of healthy food choices among customers. With the attached document, we would like to offer our input and recommendation, with regard to the objectives and policy options described in the roadmap.
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Response to Sustainable Products Initiative

28 Oct 2020

As a global home-furnishing brand, IKEA has a big responsibility – and a big growth opportunity – to make a large-scale, positive impact on climate and resource use by adopting a circular business model. IKEA is committed to become a circular and climate positive business by 2030. We are taking a total value chain approach, including shifting to use only renewable or recycled materials, and designing all products with circular capabilities. Our Circular Product Design Guide is our guide to navigating the product design process. In our own journey toward circularity, we have and continue to learn a lot and realize that many questions remain. Disrupting existing models is always difficult. A successful circular economy requires many actors to play a role – from industry to experts to consumers to government. We are still in “circularity’s early days,” but things are moving fast; consumers are becoming more conscious of their consumption behaviours and setting new demands, companies are working to transform their business models, and here in the European Union, policymakers are developing bold, new legislation to enable the movement. The challenge now, is to recognize the interdependence of these efforts so the result can be a lasting difference for our planet. We welcome the opportunity to provide input on the roadmap for the Sustainable Products Policy. We also see the interdependencies with the other initiatives related to the Circular Economy Action Plan (including the “Empowering the consumers to the green transition” and “Substantiating Green Claims”), and the parallel movements within initiatives like Waste Shipment, Textile Strategy, revision of General Product Safety Directive and the EU Chemical strategy. This is an exciting and historical opportunity to create a modern, comprehensive and clear regulatory framework. But, to truly enable meaningful change, we need to get it right from the beginning. Recognizing that the European Commission is still assessing the best way forward, we offer our input in the attached document to support your process.
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Response to Chemicals strategy for sustainability

18 Jun 2020

Please find attached the response from IKEA Range & Supply to the European Commission’s request for feedback for the roadmap on a Chemicals strategy for sustainability
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Response to Illegal logging – evaluation of EU rules (fitness check)

28 Feb 2020

As a large user of wood, sourcing from over 50 countries, the IKEA business can have a significant impact on the world’s forests and the timber industry. That’s why we place sustainable forest management at the core of our business – working to eliminate forest degradation and deforestation and promoting its importance in and beyond our own value chain. IKEA welcomes the fitness check outlined in the roadmap presented and urges the EC to focus its evaluation on alignment of implementation of the EUTR across the member states. While IKEA shares the goals of the EUTR, we see implementation issues severely slowing its potential to contribute to responsible wood sourcing. Current processes put up obstacles for both large and small operators. For example, Member States define “acceptable due diligence systems” in different ways. This makes it difficult for operators to efficiently meet the requirements without changing the process for each Member State. This, combined with inconsistent enforcement and auditing procedures (at times procedures varying from case to case within the same Member State), is inefficient and expensive for everyone involved. We would suggest the following improvements to the EUTR: • Remove the “guesswork”: Develop common, concrete guidelines for both operators and authorities to demonstrate compliance. • Focus on risk mitigation: A strong due diligence system should create a strong level of trust between the authorities and operators, lessen the need for bureaucratic demands of paper trails to document the supply chain. • Create a common approach to third-party certification: Agree upon and recognize internationally-accepted forest certification systems, like FSC, as one important part of the many parts necessary to build a solid due diligence system.
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Response to A new Circular Economy Action Plan

20 Jan 2020

In line with its own commitments, IKEA applauds the European Green Deal initiative. This is an extract of IKEA response (full attached). We stand ready to support European policymakers with our experience as a global company moving toward a circular model. Circularity is a massive topic, but with a step-by-step approach, a solid foundation can guide us along the way. We urge policymakers to consider some areas of early focus, including: • Developing a common language: At IKEA, we are defining what the circular loops mean for the development of our total value chain. It will be important for legislation to develop clear definitions for circularity aspects based on common understandings. • Harmonizing rules: To ensure a level playing field, we encourage legislators to promote international standards and a harmonized approach across borders. • Leveraging best practices: Many examples of good approaches can be used as a foundation. We encourage ongoing dialogue with all stakeholders. • Recognizing material differences and challenges: Materials differences should be taken under consideration as a whole to ensure practical and balanced decisions. At IKEA, we have created Material Directions for our big material groups. Closing the recycling loop for materials such as textiles, presents several industry challenges, e.g. about their chemical content. IKEA and H&M Group have conducted a large-scale study to better understand how current recyclable textiles measure against existing chemical standards. • Simplifying reporting schemes: We encourage policy makers to adopt harmonized and streamlined ways of reporting, with realistic ambitions. There is an urgent need for a harmonised approach in reporting obligation for Extended Producer Responsibility Schemes across the EU, aligning on what/when/how should be reported and in the approach to eco-modulation. • Prioritising reuse and repair: Customers should have a right to repair including access to spare parts. We support action that encourages and enables the development of activities and services that prolong the life of products. We recommend that the availability of spare parts and repair services are prioritised over developing repair “scorecards” or labels. Clearly defining roles, responsibilities and services for reparable products is a precondition for stimulating more demand. Actions to further develop repair services and skills at a lower cost will be welcomed. More reuse and repair will also help delivering to the climate agenda. • Making waste a (harmonised) resource: It is integral that we maintain ownership over our commercial waste. We support an increase in waste treatment domestically insofar as it promotes better waste infrastructure but does not create further barriers to waste ownership. Investment in better waste treatment infrastructure domestically has the potential to greatly increase use of recycled materials. Harmonisation of waste rules across the EU is a prerequisite to close loops and encourage greater cooperation among Member States. • Boosting digitalisation: Great potential lies in the IoT to improve supply, transport and logistics efficiency. Digital tools can also help stay more connected to our customers. We recommend facilitating the processing of data for sustainability purposes, addressing cybersecurity threats for IoT and encouraging innovative solutions for product and resource traceability. • Giving space for innovation: There are enormous opportunities if stakeholders are encouraged, incentivized and given flexibility. • Addressing chemicals: Legacy chemicals are an industry-wide concern. Today, there is no clear solution for tracking these chemicals. • European leadership: The proposed actions address needs that go beyond borders. We urge European policymakers to take a long-term view from the very beginning to ensure requirements can be ambitiously and efficiently replicated in other parts of the globe.
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