Climate & Energy Policy

Ecopump - Europump’s flagship project

The Background

Europump is an association of European pump manufacturing associations representing some 450 companies with a turnover of €10 billion, employing some 100,000 people.

Ecopump is Europump’s flagship project, embodying Europump’s energy commitment. In 2004 the Europump Council endorsed the Ecopump initiative designed to be the very cornerstone of the European pump sector's energy and environmental policy. Ecopump is built around three key pillars : ‘Product’, Extended Product’ and ‘Systems’, the concept being that we ensure that :

• the liquid end of our products meets minimum efficiency levels
• product savings are optimised through the extended product approach and the control of our products
• the installed base is investigated to ensure that efficient products are installed into efficient systems.

Since the inception of Ecopump, Europump has built an enviable reputation for its professional integrity across many institutions including the European Commission, national governments, NGOs, user groups and many other stakeholders. It instigated the extended product approach, increasing product saving opportunities tenfold over and above those achievable from product legislation alone.

Commitments

As an industry which is a significant consumer of electromotive power, it is the role of Europump through its Council to:

• protect the interests of European pump manufacturers, large and small, in the face of legislative programmes
• look after the interests of pump users, who are our customers
• ensure that all stakeholders consult widely, use proper channels and carry out due diligence in the pursuit of the legislative process
• work directly with all stakeholders including, where appropriate, suppliers, customers, NGOs and governmental departments
• ensure that all options are considered, not just the process of legislation but other methodologies such as voluntary measures or labelling, for example.

Ecopump remains a fluid initiative within Europump. This is important as, for example, we are the only mechanical industry group engaged in tracking, with the consultants to the European Commission, the product environmental footprint initiative - this despite the fact that it is acknowledged that pump energy is predominantly consumed during the use phase, further confirming our commitment to environmental integrity.