Brussels, 26/11/2015 (Agence Europe) - EU energy ministers agreed a general approach on Thursday 26 November on the draft regulation establishing a revised framework for energy efficiency labelling that was introduced in 1995, thereby paving the way for talks between the Council of the EU and the Parliament to begin at the start of 2016.
“I'm pleased because this project is good for energy efficiency, good for industry, good for the climate and good for citizens”, commented Luxembourg minister Etienne Schneider.
To provide consumers with clearer information on the energy efficiency of goods - currently ranked according to different scales (from “A” to “G”, from “A+++” to “D”, etc.) - and increase compliance with the rules by manufacturers and retailers, the revised framework proposed by the Commission in July (see EUROPE 11360) will return to the single labelling system, from “A” to “G” and will provide a procedure for later alteration of existing labels.
In addition to a revised framework, the Commission proposed that an online database be set up on the energy efficiency of all new products marketed in the EU, providing increased transparency and making market monitoring easier for national authorities. Some new products marketed, estimated at between 10% and 25% of all new products brought to the market, fail to comply with labelling requirements, resulting in the loss of 10% of anticipated energy savings. The aim is to overcome this problem.
In a short public debate on Thursday, France, Germany, Ireland and Sweden pledged their full support to text on the table. Germany, highlighting the role of energy labelling in the energy savings made by the country (80%) and its value for innovation, said that the return to the “A” to “G” system would make it easier to understand. Italy welcomed a well-balanced text that provides consumers and manufacturers with predictability. Ireland felt that the proposal provided a fair balance, offering further incentives to innovate while taking account of industry's perfectly valid concerns over the perception of the energy efficiency of the various products. Underlining the importance of labelling for energy transition, in light of its impact on energy savings, innovation and green growth, France gave its backing to a single “A” to “G” scale and the creation of a database. It called, however, for the timescale for the change in labelling to be short so that the transition can be made as quickly as possible. Sweden said the return to the “A” to “G” scale would guarantee the effectiveness of the labelling system. It also urged that the change be made as quickly as reasonably possible.
Bulgaria did not agree with the general approach of the regulation and highlighted the severe difficulties manufacturers will face in applying the new text and the confusion it will cause among consumers. It said it was against any change to the scale, deeming the new version too artificial and underlining the administrative burden for those who will administer the databank. (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)