The
International Network
for Sustainable Energy
- Framework Directive with Implementation Measures
EU
Energy Policy
UNUpdated: July 2010
| Index of this Page |
| • The
development of Ecodesing continues Read • Peaceful Standby Read • A + + + Read • A Process Covering 30+ Energy Using Products in the EU Read • INFORSE's Positions Read • Products Covered Read • Procedures of Directive Recast (2008-09) Implementation Read |
The Directive
2005/32/EC establishes a framework for setting Eco-design requirements
(such as energy efficiency
requirements) for all energy using products in the residential, tertiary
and industrial sectors.
Aim: Reducing the environmental
impact of products, including the energy consumption throughout their
entire life cycle.
The European Council and the European Parliament adopted the Commission's
proposal for this Directive in 6 July 2005.
Read more: Eur-lex
The development of Ecodesing continues
The development of Ecodesign measures continues, and gradually more product
groups are being covered:
- Energy-efficiency requirements for fans, dishwashers, and washing machines
were agreed among the EU countries in the beginning of June. New equipment must
be more efficient from 2011 onwards.
- New labels and requirements for tumble driers are being developed. They were
discussed at a Consultation Forum for stakeholders on June 24, in which INFORSE-Europe
participated.
- Work on boilers and water heaters continues, with comments including those
from INFORSE-Europe on boiler methodology and with a new working document on
water heaters.
- NGOs have criticized the development of voluntary agreements (VA) as alternatives
to Ecodesign regulations in a new position paper. Two VA's on, respectively,
complex set-top boxes and imaging equipment are under development; but due to
delays they will not be final before the autumn.
Peaceful Standby
Since January 2010, most products put on the market in EU satisfy
the new standby criteria:
No more consumption than 1 Watt for
stand-by
and off-mode, or 2 Watts if there is a display.
The introduction
of this regulation has been welcomed by all, and it seems that
no complains
have been made.
2010 is a busy year for energy-efficiency regulation with the Eco-design
Directive. Now, also new labelling will be introduced, after the
delay in 2009 because of disagreements about label formats. The
plan calls
for regulation and/or labelling of the following products groups
to begin in 2010:
- Refrigerators, freezers (labeling only)
- TVs (labeling only)
- Dishwashers
A
+ + +
December
2009: A compromise has now been reached for future EU labelling for energy
efficiency, after
a year of negotiations and a veto against a label scheme by the EU
Parliament. The compromise is that the A-G scale will be retained;
but when a majority of products are in the upper class(es), there will
be not recalling as promoted by NGOs and the EU Parliament. Instead,
the new classes of A+, A++ and even A+++ will be added. The
system will be evaluated in 2014.
A
Process Covering 30+ Energy Using Products in the EU
EU is in a process of covering
most energy using products on the markets of the EU countries
with Ecodesign regulation, a regulation that sets minimum energy efficiency
requirements and other environmental requirements, based on
a life-cycle approach. Regulation and other measures will cover at
least
32 product
groups
as well 2 horizontal
aspects
(standby consumption
and
electric
motors).
For
each product group or horizontal measures is adopted an implementation
measure, typically an internal market regulation. Also voluntary agreements
are possible measures. Often the process also involves mandatory energy
efficiency labelling with
the
labelling
(SAVE)
directive. For many products these measures can reduce consumption
25% or more. In November 2009 was adopted a revision of the Ecodesign
directive,
enlarging the scope to energy related products. This could for instance
be windows that are important for heat consumption of a house, but
does not directly consume fuel or other delivered energy.
The process for each
product group is:
• Expert study with stakeholder consultation, typically 1-2 years
• Consultation Forum with stakeholders including INFORSE-Europe and
other NGOs
• Proposal for EU regulation made by the EU Commission, typically
3 months after
the
Consultation Forum
• Adoption of EU Commission in cooperation with EU countries (process
under revision
because of new rules with the Lisbon Treaty)
• "Scrutiny" by EU Parliament (and with Lisbon also by EU countries),
where a majority of EU parliamentarians (or EU countries) can stop a measure,
2 months
• Official entry into force of regulation(s)
• Typically 1 year after regulation enters into force, companies must
only
put
on
the
EU
market
products
that
follow
the regulation
and has the necessary labels. Only such products
can carry the "CE" label.
• Typically 2-3 years later stronger energy efficiency requirements are
introduced as a second
step (this has not happened yet for any product as the regulation is new)
• Typically 4-5 years after a regulation enters into force it is
reviewed,
and a revision might take
place (this has not happened yet since the regulation is new).
The first regulations, covering for instance certain light bulbs, are already in force, and many others are coming soon. Read the product types below.
INFORSE-Europe has a permanent seat in the Consultation Forum together with WWF, Greenpeace, Climate Action Network Europe, EEB, ECOS and other NGOs. We cooperate on our inputs to the process as well as more generally in the Cool products Campaign and collect our positions etc. on our common website Ecodesign of Products: Views of Environmental NGOs on the EuP Policy. We develop common position to better argue for high energy efficiency requirements and good consumer information via labels etc.
22.06.2010 - Household tumble driers
Position paper from Environmental NGOs on the EC Working Document on
the Ecodesign and Energy Labelling of Household Tumble Driers (
pdf
file 181 kB)
22.06.2010 - Vacuum cleaners
Position paper from Environmental NGOs ( pdf
file 170 kB)
April 2010 - Opinion from Environmental NGOs on the approach for setting Ecodesign rules for display cabinets and vending machines click here
04.03.2010 - Position on the revised version of the proposed Energy
Label for TVs
Comments ( pdf
file 181 kB)
29.01.2010 - Position on the final version of the methodology for the
Ecodesign measures on Boilers
First technical contribution from ECOS and INFORSE on the methodology ( pdf
file 97 kB)
Second technical contribution from ECOS and INFORSE on the methodology ( pdf
file 51 kB)
05.10.2009 - Position
on
Ecodesign:
Imaging Equipments
Joint
position
by
ECOS,
INFORSE-Europe,
FoE-Europe,
CAN-Europe,
EEB,
WWF-European
Policy
Office
on
the
proposed
Voluntary
Initiative
Agreements
on
Imaging
Equipment
and
Complex Set Top Boxes ( pdf
file
199 kB)
15.10.2009 - Position
on
Ecodesign:
Computers
and
Displays