THE WEEK THAT WAS... (November 4, 2013)

It is true and serious! The European Commission is engaged in a lengthy effort to define EU Ecolabel criteria for flushing toilets and urinals and will take a decision, finally, in its weekly conclave. This decision comes after years of studying by experts working for the Commission of ‘user behaviour’ and ‘best practices’. The aim to establish criteria for toilets and urinals is ‘to increase water efficiency during operation’, a Commission spokesperson told the press.

It may be good to know that, according to the experts’ report, ‘toilet seats/covers are not really related to the product function’, ‘toilet seats/covers are often sold separately from the main product’ and ‘there is a high variability in consumer’s choice for toilet seats/covers’. The Commission experts seem to have agreed that two ‘key elements’ appear to affect the water consumption of flushing toilets and urinals; their design and the user behaviour. Remarkably enough, the report doesn’t mention the subject of toilet paper…

Is such a work not a waste of public money? President Barroso told us that the Commission is working hard on rolling back unnecessary regulations, so-called ‘EU red tape’. There is hope! The Commission already has recently given up on plans to regulate the use of olive oil bottles in restaurants and previously abandoned a policy discriminating against curvy cucumbers...