Calls for ‘Designed in the European Union’ label

The Design for Growth & Prosperity report has been published by the European Design Leadership Board, and contains 21 policy recommendations that are being put to the European Commission.

The board which features Deborah Dawton, chief executive of the Design Business Association and president of the Bureau of European Design Associations, as well as Andrea Siodmok, representing the Technology Strategy Board, was tasked with enhancing the role of design in pan-European innovation policy.

European Commission vice-president Antonio Tajani tasked the board in 2011 with developing policy recommendations to feed into the European Innovation Union programme, which aims to promote job creation and social development.

Following a year-long workshop and consultation process, which included a co-design workshop with design end-users, the recommendations have now been launched.

They include: the creation of a ‘Designed in the European Union’ label, in connection with the European ECOLABEL, to improve protection and promotion of European design, introducing a more sophisticated approach to public procurement, using design, and establishing a European IP ‘court’ to enforce zero tolerance of improvement.

The report also calls for a standard NACE industrial code for design to be rolled out across Europe, and a pan-European design leadership programme to be set up to ensure European companies are led by ‘design-aware’ chief executives.

There is also a call for a culture of ‘design learning’ to be fostered at all levels of the education system, and for design to be embedded in the training of apprentices.

The board is now aiming to develop a communication and advocacy campaign targeted at European, national and design stakeholder level, to promote the recommendations.

It is also seeking to develop a permanent dialogue with the European Commission, through BEDA, as well as establishing a mechanism to monitor progress of the proposals.

To read the report in full, visit: europeandesigninnovation.eu.