As part of the longstanding Sino-German cooperation on ecolabelling and sustainable consumption and production, a virtual workshop was facilitated by GIZ (SGEP) on 8 May, 2020.

Participants included Dr. Ulf Jaeckel from the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety of the Federal Republic of Germany (BMU), Dr. Johanna Wurbs from the German Environment Agency (UBA), Dr. Christian Staerz from GIZ, Ms. Zhang Xiaodan from the China Environmental United Certification Center (CEC), and other colleagues. To steer the bilateral cooperation, the 2020 work plan was discussed, including the possibility of and initial plans for a study tour to Germany. As a follow-up to the discussions during last year’s Global Ecolabelling Network conference in Suzhou, both sides agreed to sign the common core criteria for the product group of data shredders. In addition, participants exchanged ideas on which product groups could possibly be focused on in the future. To this end, CEC introduced its standard for absorbent hygiene products, and UBA in turn presented a resource-saving reusable cup system.

This workstream is facilitated by the Sino-German Environmental Partnership.