Europe to Expand Its Energy Efficiency Labeling
The European Parliament has formally adopted a directive to extend European Union energy labeling requirements to more products and to add new efficiency classes for all covered products.
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EC to Publish Directive in June 2010, Adopt Regulations for Each Product
The European Commission is scheduled to publish the directive in the EU’s Official Journal in June 2010. After this, the EC will identify the products that will fall under the new directive and adopt delegated regulations for each product. The energy labeling requirements will become mandatory for products placed on the market 12 months after each delegated regulation has been published in the Official Journal.
Expected to Affect TVs, Water Heaters, Boilers, Etc
The following products, among others, are expected to be added: televisions, water heaters, and boilers.
3 New Labeling Classes Will be Added
In addition, the new directive will further differentiate the existing labeling scale from A-G by adding the new classes A+, A++ and A+++ on top of class "A".
The EC states that this new scale will further increase competition between manufacturers in order to benefit the consumer, help manufacturers better advertise their products, and help the EC meet its climate change mitigation goals.
Advertisements May Have to Include Energy Efficiency Class
The Directive also foresees that advertisements containing energy-related information or price will have to include a reference to the energy efficiency class of the product. This is meant to help consumers assess costs when buying new appliances.
EC press release (dated 05/19/10) available at http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/10/584&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
EC FAQ (dated 05/19/10) available at http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/10/202&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=e)