A tool for action and raising awareness to reduce the environmental footprint of digital services

In May 2024, the French media regulator Arcom published a general policy framework in cooperation with other national regulatory authorities, to promote sustainable design of digital services. 

Article 25 of Act No. 2021-1485 dated 15 November 2021 which seeks to reduce digital technologies’ environmental footprint in France, stipulates that Arcep - the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Communications, Postal Affairs and Press Distribution, Arcom in tandem with ADEME - the National Agency for the Environment and Energy management - “define the contents of a general policy framework for the ecodesign of digital services (...). [This policy framework] seeks to define ecodesign criteria for digital services to reduce their negative impact on the environment”.

The general policy framework for the ecodesign of digital services aims at setting a common set of best practices for the conception of sustainable services and is intended for all professionals involved in digital services design. Professionals are invited to check/answer a series of 78 criteria to ensure that the service is or will comply with an ecodesign approach. Some criteria are specifically related to audiovisual services. 

These criteria address four main goals:

• designing digital services more sustainable to increase the lifespan of the devices;

• promoting ecofriendly behaviour and approach regarding the strategy put in place to attract users;

• reducing the IT resources used and optimising data traffic and the digital infrastructures needed;

• increasing the level of transparency on the digital services's environmental footprint. 

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ARCOM press release (FR)

General policy framework for the ecodesign of digital services (EN)

Source: Arcom