L 11134 Official Journal of the European Union 30.4.2011 COMMISSION DECISION of 28 April 2011 on establishing the ecological criteria for the award of the EU Ecolabel for laundry detergents (notified under document C(2011) 2815) (Text with EEA relevance) (2011/264/[EU) THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 66/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2009 on the EU Ecolabel (), and in particular Article 8(2) thereof, After consulting the European Union Eco-labelling Board, Whereas: (1) Under Regulation (EC) No 66/2010, the EU Ecolabel may be awarded to those products with a reduced environ- mental impact during their entire life cycle. (2)  Regulation (EC) No 66/2010 provides that specific EU Ecolabel criteria are to be established according to product groups. (3)  Commission Decision 1999/476/EC () has established the ecological criteria and the related assessment and verification  requirements for laundry detergents. Following the review of the criteria set out in that Decision, Commission Decision 2003/200/EC (}) has established revised criteria which are wvalid until 30 April 2011. (4)  Those criteria have been further reviewed in the light of technological developments. It results from the review that it is necessary to modify the definition of the product group so as to include a new sub-product group and to establish new criteria. Those new criteria, as well as the related assessment and verification requirements, should be valid for 4 years from the date of adoption of this Decision. (") OJ L 27, 30.1.2010, p. 1. () OJ L 187, 20.7.1999, p. 52. () OJ L 76, 22.3.2003, p. 25. (5)  Decision 2003/200/EC should be replaced for reasons of clarity. (6) A transitional period should be allowed for producers whose products have been awarded the Ecolabel for laundry detergents on the basis of the criteria set out in Decision 2003/200/EC, so that they have sufficient time to adapt their products to comply with the revised criteria and requirements. Producers should also be allowed to submit applications based on the criteria set out in Decision 2003/200/EC or on the criteria set out in this Decision until the lapse of validity of that Decision. (7)  The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee estab- lished by Article 16 of Regulation (EC) No 66/2010, HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: Article 1 The product group ‘Laundry Detergents’ shall comprise: laundry detergents and pre-treatment stain removers whether in powder, liquid or any other form which are marketed and used for the washing of textiles principally in household machines but not excluding their use in launderettes and common laundries. Pre-treatment stain removers include stain removers used for direct spot treatment of textiles (before washing in the machine) but do not include stain removers dosed in the washing machine and stain removers dedicated to other uses besides pre-treatment. This product group shall not comprise products that are dosed by carriers such as sheets, cloths or other materials nor washing auxiliaries used without subsequent washing, such as stain removers for carpets and furniture upholstery. Article 2 1. For the purpose of this Decision, the following definitions shall apply: (1) ‘heavy-duty detergents’ means detergents used for ordinary washing of white textiles at any temperature;