EU product energy labelling
Energy labelling of appliances in the European Union has been fully established in the 1990s for various types of household appliances. Throughout the years, the legal system has been updated several times (adding new appliance types, or, for example, adding new energy classes A+ and A++ for the refrigerating appliances).
A detailed change of legislation undertaken in 2010 resulted in a new graphic design and content of the energy label for three appliance types, and an energy label for televisions as a new product category.
Under the revised Labelling Directive (RL 2010/30/EU) and in combination with Implementing Measures for the Ecodesign Directive (RL 2005/32/EC, replaced by 2009/125/EC), a revision and dynamisation of existing labels and an extension to further product groups has taken place. Main changes were:
- Labelling is closely aligned to ecodesign measures; measuring methods and evaluation criteria are harmonized
- Implementing measures now take the form of direct EU regulations, they do not have to be transposed into national law any more.
- Classification criteria for products, which were partly very outdated, are adapted to technological progress. A dynamization is envisioned: Often future tightening of the criteria is already laid down in the implementing measures.
- Label design has been revised. A language neutral version with icons was introduced. In several product groups, additional classes ranging from A+ to A+++ have been introduced, while lower classes remain often empty.
- Labelling is being extended to more and more product groups (so far introduced for televisions. Boilers and water heaters, and vacuum cleaners are expected to follow.) A legal basis has been provided for extending the labelling to “energy relevant” products such as windows or wall insulation.
The European Commission plans to review the current system in 2014 in order to decide about further adaptations of the legislation related to energy labelling.
Please, see the following document to learn in more detail the about the appliance labelling legislation
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The information about individual product compliance tests in the EU is fragmented and not centrally available, not even to the surveillance authorities. The main goal of this document is to investigate how far the use of product databases can contribute to improving the exchange of information on market surveillance actions and results between authorities and towards other stakeholders.
When purchasing products with energy labels on the internet or by catalogues, the energy label as such does not have to be displayed. The labelling legislation, however, prescribes a specific set of information which has to be published. The Come On Labels´ project research has shown that often part of that information is missing. Find a document, summarising the infomration, which has to be made available when offering products for sale in cases where the consumer cannot be expected to see the product displayed.
Directional, non-directional lamps and luminaires are currently a subject to new energy labelling. Read a document which summarises the legislation and labelling requirements to these products. The document has been prepared in a cooperation of three European projects, dealing in part with energy efficient lighting issues.
Overview of the EU legislation related to the labelling and ecodesign of household appliances
Available in: English (main document), Czech, Croatian, German, Polish, Latvian, Italian, French, Greek, Spanish, Portuguese.
Household tumble driers are one of the product categories, which start to be marked by the new energy labels. Find the Come On Labels´ project document, explaining the requirements of the labelling and ecodesign legislation, responsibilities of stakeholders, as well as the content of the new energy label.
Overview of the new energy labelling and ecodesign legislation related to the Air-Conditioning units, entering force around the EU in 2013.
The energy labelling legislation requires certain products to bear energy labels at their points of sales. The energy labels usually have seven energy classes. At the same time, however, some of the same produc types are also affected by the ecodesign legislation, which prohibits the market entry of product below certain energy efficiency class. Find enclosed the document, which summarises the list of energy label classes available on the energy labels, but not allowed by ecodesign, for individual product groups.
