The aim of the PREFER project is to fully implement the EU Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology in 8 Italian clusters. PEF is a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)- based method to calculate the environmental performance of a product (http://ec.europa.eu/environment/eussd/smgp/product_footprint.htm).

The project aims at setting up several actions at cluster level, aimed at promoting and strengthening the capability of smaller companies to apply the PEF methodology, overcoming their constraints and hindrances, especially due to the lack of human, technical and economic resources.

PREFER foresees many operational actions, together with specific activities to disseminate the project outcomes (and the PEF) in the EU. The main actions are:

- Setting up of cluster "pilot-groups" and selection of 8 products on which to test the PEF

- Implementation of the PEF in the 8 Italian selected clusters

- Development of tools and methods for the interested local SMEs to facilitate and support the application of the PEF to their products.

- Definition of PEFCR (PEF Category Rules) to be proposed as a starting point to the Commission

- Testing of the previous outcomes and approaches / tools for the PEF in 3 clusters located outside Italy

- Actions to support the SMEs involved in the PREFER project in planning and carrying out the environmental improvement of their product life-cycles, grounding on the results and the indications that will stem from the PEF study.

The application of the PEF methodology in 8 different clusters and the involvement of over 30 companies will provide a huge amount of information on the development of this innovative European methodology.

Partnership

Sant'Anna School (coordinator) and other european partners