On 20th December 2010 four new EU Regulations on labelling will become law in the EU. They relate to household dishwashers, refrigerating appliances and washing machines and to televisions. The new Regulations introduce up to three further levels of class A (also known as the "better than A" labels) namely A+/A++/A+++.
The new Regulations will become enforceable in November/December 2011. As they are EU Regulations (and not Directives) they will be enforceable throughout the EU without the need for any implementing domestic legislation (though often EU Member States bring in related domestic legislation, if only to make the application of EU Regulations more efficient and workable).
To view our recent lawnow entitled "More household appliances to be energy (re)labelled" please click here
Background
Energy labels are adopted on a product by product basis within the framework laid down by (recast) Directive 2010/30/EU on "indication by labelling and standard product information of the consumption of energy and other resources by energy-related products".
The energy labelling under the new Regulations are to include the following information:
- Continued ranking, on a scale of A to G, of the energy-related products according to their energy efficiency consumption.
- Introduction of "better than A" labels (A+/A++/A+++).
- Details of weighted annual energy consumption or energy consumption per cycle
- Details of weighted annual water consumption or water consumption per cycle
The first of the new Regulations (Commission Regulation (EU) 1059/2010) relates to household dishwashers and is generally enforceable from 20 December 2011. Suppliers and dealers will have to ensure that each household dishwasher is supplied with a printed label, a product fiche and technical documentation which will have to be made readily available to market surveillance authorities in the event of request.
Requirements for energy labels to appear on advertising and promotional materials for household dishwashers will apply from 20 April 2012.
The second of the new Regulations (Commission Regulation (EU) 1060/2010) relates to household refrigerating appliances and will be generally enforceable from 30th November 2011. This Regulation covers absorption-type refrigerating as well as wine storage appliances. Notably refrigerating appliances whose primary function is not the storage of foodstuffs, such as stand-alone ice-makers or chilled drinks dispensers, do not fall under this Regulation. Suppliers and dealers will have to ensure that each refrigerating appliance is supplied with a printed label, a product fiche and technical documentation which will have to be made readily available to market surveillance authorities in the event of request.
Requirements for energy labels to appear on advertising and promotional materials for refrigerating appliances will apply from 30 March 2012.
Commission Regulation (EU) 1061/2010 is the third new Regulation and relates to household washing machines. This will come be generally enforceable on 20 December 2011. From this date suppliers and dealers will have to ensure that each household washing machine is supplied with a printed label, a product fiche and technical documentation which will have to be made readily available to market surveillance authorities in the event of request.
Requirements for energy labels to appear on advertising and promotional materials for household washing machines will apply from 20 April 2012.
The fourth new Regulation (Commission Regulation (EU) 1062/2010) of 28 September 2010 relates to televisions and will generally be enforceable on 30 November 2011. This is the first time that televisions will require energy labels. Suppliers and dealers will have to ensure that each television is supplied with a printed label, a product fiche and technical documentation which will have to be made readily available to market surveillance authorities in the event of request. Requirements for energy labels to appear on advertising and promotional materials for televisions will apply from 30 March 2012.
Given that televisions have not previously been labelled the introduction of "better than A" labels for televisions is to be phased in, meaning that:
Class A+ will apply from 1 January 2014;
Class A++ will apply from 1 January 2017;
Class A+++ will apply from 1 January 2020;
White Goods
For more information on related new eco-design standards applicable from 1 June 2011 and 1 June 2012 see our recent article entitled "More White Goods Come under Ecodesign Rules" here
This article was written for Law-Now, CMS Cameron McKenna's free online information service. To register for Law-Now, please go to www.law-now.com/law-now/mondaq
Law-Now information is for general purposes and guidance only. The information and opinions expressed in all Law-Now articles are not necessarily comprehensive and do not purport to give professional or legal advice. All Law-Now information relates to circumstances prevailing at the date of its original publication and may not have been updated to reflect subsequent developments.
The original publication date for this article was 08/12/2010.
