The PCR Partnership Programme

With the ambition to make the PCR documents as internationally applicable as possible, and thereby avoiding unnecessary barriers to trade, the International EPD System promotes global PCR harmonisation via its market-driven PCR Partnership Programme (PPP) for programme operators and PCR developers.

ISO 14025 on EPDs recommends Programme Operators (POs) to make use of available PCRs as the preferred option to avoid unnecessary double-work and proliferation of PCRs for the same product category which will lead to market confusion and less interest of making use of EPDs.

EPD POs commit and unify under the PPP to multilaterally:

  • Develop new, multilaterally shared PCRs
  • Cooperate during recurring open consultations when updating shared PCRs
  • Align existing PCRs published by POs in the same product category
  • Combine marketing activities to promote shared PCRs
  • Establish a cooperative economic agreement leading to a win-win situation during the commercial use of the shared PCR

  • Proposition: 1 euro royalty/copyright protection fee per EPD released/published is transferred to the owner of the original, shared PCR (pay per use).

The rationale of the PPP-initiative for EPD Programme Operators is to start and maintain a close contact once original available PCRs are being used by several POs. This will lead to a lot of advantages in internal daily work by POs. Some of these advantages are described below.

  • Joint work on defining a logical hierarchical position of an adapted PCR in the form of referring to the existing registration code of the original PCR amended with annexes to describe the adaptions made,
  • Cooperation during recurring open consultations when updating PCRs,
  • Aligning existing PCRs published by both POs in the same product category
  • Support from PPP POs in case new PCRs are (about to be) developed,
  • Combined outreach activities and marketing of shared PCRs,
  • Establishing a cooperative economic agreement leading to a win-win situation for both parties during the commercial use of the shared PCR.

Please click the below download button to read more about the PPP.

Download PPP