Ecodesign
The Ecodesign Directive provides with consistent EU-wide rules for improving the environmental performance of energy related products (ERPs) through ecodesign 
. It therefore prevents disparate national legislations on the environmental performance of these products from becoming obstacles to the intra-EU trade. This should benefit both businesses and consumers, by enhancing product quality and environmental protection and by facilitating free movement of goods across the EU. Please see our brochure .
Energy related products (the use of which has an impact on energy consumption) account for a large proportion of the energy consumption in the EU and include:
- energy-using products (EUPs), which use, generate, transfer or measure energy (e.g. electricity, gas, fossil fuel), including consumer goods such as boilers, water heaters, computers, televisions, and industrial products such as transformers, industrial fans and industrial furnaces.
- other energy related products (ERPs) which do not necessarily use energy but have an impact on energy and can therefore contribute to saving energy, such as windows, insulation material or bathroom devices (e.g. shower heads, taps).
The Directive is under the responsibility of DG Enterprise and Industry and DG Energy.
Contact: ENTR-Ecodesign@ec.europa.eu and ENER-ECODESIGN@ec.europa.eu
Decision-making process under the Ecodesign directive
The Ecodesign directive does not set binding requirements on products by itself: it provides a framework (rules and criteria) for setting such requirements through implementing measures. The Commission prepares implementing measures only for products which have significant sales and trade in the EU (indicatively more than 200,000 units a year) and a significant environmental impact and potential for improvement.
Self-regulation by industry is a valid alternative to binding legislation, under certain conditions (detailed in Annex VIII of the Directive). In particular, voluntary agreements by industry have to achieve the same objectives as binding legislation (more quickly and at lesser expense), include staged and quantified objectives and be open to new participants.
The procedure above is followed for all product groups, in DG Enterprise and Industry and in DG Energy.
On 21 October 2008, the Commission adopted a Working Plan setting out an indicative list of product groups which will be considered as priorities for the adoption of implementing measures for the period 2009-2011.
