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Legislation
Eco-design of Energy-Using Products|Overview |Directive |Studies I |Studies II |Existing implementing measures |Projects/Initiatives |Working Plan |Regulatory Committee |Consultation Forum |Contact |Links Ongoing activitiesOverviewApart from the user's behaviour, there are two complementary ways of reducing the energy consumed by products: labelling to raise awareness of consumers on the real energy use in order to influence their buying decisions (such as labelling schemes for domestic appliances), and energy efficiency requirements imposed to products from the early stage on the design phase. The production, distribution, use and end-of-life management of energy-using products (EuPs) is associated with a considerable number of important impacts on the environment, namely the consequences of energy consumption, consumption of other materials/resources, waste generation and release of hazardous substances to the environment. It is estimated that over 80% of all product-related environmental impacts are determined during the design phase of a product. Against this background, Eco-design aims to improve the environmental performance of products throughout the life-cycle by systematic integration of environmental aspects at a very early stage in the product design. The Council and the European Parliament therefore adopted a Commission proposal for a Directive on establishing a framework for setting Eco-design requirements (such as energy efficiency requirements) for all energy using products in the residential, tertiary and industrial sectors. Coherent EU-wide rules for eco-design will ensure that disparities among national regulations do not become obstacles to intra-EU trade. The directive does not introduce directly binding requirements for specific products, but does define conditions and criteria for setting requirements regarding environmentally relevant product characteristics (such as energy consumption) and allows them to be improved quickly and efficiently. It will be followed by implementing measures which will establish the eco-design requirements. In principle, the Directive applies to all energy using products (except vehicles for transport) and covers all energy sources. Information workshop on the implementation of the DirectiveOn 21 November 2006 the Commission services held a workshop to inform stakeholders and Member States representatives on the implementation of the Ecodesign of EuPs directive. A short summary and copies of the presentations are available here:
The first step in considering whether and which eco-design requirements should be set for a particular product is a preparatory study recommending ways to improve the environmental performance of the product. The preparatory study shall provide the necessary information to prepare for the next phases (carried out by the Commission) which are the impact assessment, the consultation of the Ecodesign Forum and a possible draft implementing measure. The Commission launched an invitation to tender for the preparatory studies on 7 July 2005. The tender was subdivided into 14 lots corresponding to families of EuPs. The contractors carrying out the preparatory studies will
reference the
"Eco-design of EuP methodology" Study (commissioned by DG Enterprise) for which
the final report was completed in December 2005 ( The contractors are required to maintain updated project websites through which they communicate with interested stakeholders. Stakeholders are encouraged to contact the contractors on their own initiative, should they consider it useful. Work is now ongoing in all 14 lots.
The following table gives an indicative planning of the adoption process of possible implementing measures for the different product groups. The table is approximative, and subject to change as the planning is adjusted to the real advancement of preparatory work.
The Commission also launched an additional study on Simple Converter Boxes for digital television (Simple STBs, www.ecostb.com).Second round of preparatory studies The Commission launched 5 preparatory studies in 2007 on the following product groups:
All these studies are currently ongoing. In addition, two consultants will assist consumers and environmental NGOs to ensure their proper stakeholder representation in the preparatory process leading to legislation under the directive. Existing implementing measures In July 2005, Article 21 of the Ecodesign Directive amended the following directives on minimum energy efficiency requirements of certain products so that they became implementing measures of the Ecodesign Directive. This means that their content did not change (except for an annex of the directive on boilers), however any further change to the directives will be carried out in the framework of the decision-making mechanisms of the Ecodesign Directive.
In accordance with Article 16 (1) of the Directive the Commission has established a working plan setting out an indicative list of product groups which will be considered as priorities for the adoption of implementing measures between 2009 and 2011.
During its third meeting held on 17 October 2008 the Committee on the Ecodesign and Energy Labelling of Energy-using Products (EELEP) endorsed the During its first meeting held on 7 July 2008 the Committee on the Ecodesign and Energy Labelling of Energy-using Products (EELEP) endorsed the The Draft Proposal will be now submitted to the European Parliament for scrutiny. During its second meeting held on 26 September 2008 the Committee on the Ecodesign and Energy Labelling of Energy-using Products (EELEP) endorsed the The Draft Proposals will be now submitted to the European Parliament for scrutiny. Directive 2005/32/EC (Article 18) establishes a group of experts called “Consultation Forum” which will allow stakeholders to be informed and provide their contribution on the implementation of the Directive. The task of the group of experts is to contribute in particular to the definition and review of the implementing measures, to monitoring the efficiency of the established market surveillance mechanisms and to the assessment of voluntary agreements and other self-regulatory measures taken in the context of the Directive. The Forum is also consulted by the Commission during the periodic modification of the working plan. The group of experts is composed of maximum 60 members, including one representative from each Member State and acceding country; it is open for observers from candidate and EEA countries. The qualified organisations were selected by the Commission services on the basis of Article 18 of Directive 2005/32/EC, which foresees participation to the Forum of Member States and all interested parties, including SMEs and craft industry, trade unions, traders, retailers, importers, environmental protection groups and consumer organisations. The members have already been selected and notified, their list will be made public once the Commission decision establishing the Forum is adopted, probably before the end of 2007. The eighth meeting of the Forum is convened for 16 October 2008, to which the members have received invitations:
Past Consultation Forum Meetings: The seventh meeting of the Forum is convened for 27 and 29 May 2008, to which the members have received invitations. The Ecodesign Working Plan will be discussed on 28 May. Here are all the documents in relation to this Forum meeting: The same organisations have been invited to this meeting of the Consultation Forum as to the first ones (in addition to the representatives of the Member States), with prejudice to the future Commission Decision setting up the Forum. The sixth meeting of the Forum is convened for 28 March 2008, to which the members have received invitations. Here are all the documents in relation to this Forum meeting: The same organisations have been invited to this meeting of the Consultation Forum as to the first ones (in addition to the representatives of the Member States), without prejudice to the future Commission Decision setting up the Forum.
The fifth meeting of the Forum is convened for 29 February 2008, to which the members have received invitations. Here are all the documents in relation to this Forum meeting:
The same organisations have been invited to this meeting of the Consultation Forum as to the first ones (in addition to the representatives of the Member States), without prejudice to the future Commission Decision setting up the Forum. The fourth meeting of the Forum is convened for 22 February 2008, to which the members have received invitations. Here are all the documents in relation to this Forum meeting: The same organisations have been invited to this meeting of the Consultation Forum as to the first ones (in addition to the representatives of the Member States), without prejudice to the future Commission Decision setting up the Forum.
The third meeting of the Forum is convened for 18 December 2007, to which the members have received invitations. Here are all the documents in relation to this Forum meeting: The same organisations have been invited to this meeting of the Consultation Forum as to the first ones (in addition to the representatives of the Member States), without prejudice to the future Commission Decision setting up the Forum. The following presentations were made to the participants of the Forum meeting on 18 December:
The second meeting of the Forum is convened for 19 October 2007, to which the members have received invitations. Here are all the documents in relation to this Forum meeting: The same organisations have been invited to this meeting of the Consultation Forum as to the first one (in addition to the representatives of the Member States), without prejudice to the future Commission Decision setting up the Forum.
The first meeting of the Forum took place on 22 June 2007, to which the members have received invitations. Here are all the documents in relation to this Forum meeting:
The organisations that were invited to
this meeting of the Consultation Forum (in addition to the representatives of
the Member States) are listed
The following presentations were made to the
The
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