The EU ecodesign and energy labelling rules require that the Commission regularly present updated, rolling ecodesign and energy labelling working plans.
On 30 March, together with the proposal for a Sustainable Products Regulation, the Commission adopted the new ecodesign and energy labelling working plan 2022-2024. It strengthens the focus on the circularity aspects of ecodesign and labelling requirements for energy-related products and tyres. It also identifies priorities and new candidates for efficiency product groups and explores new product-specific requirements on material efficiency aspects, particularly on recycled content, critical raw materials, reparability and durability.
Energy savings
The existing ecodesign and labelling requirements alone are estimated to have saved EU citizens more than €120 billion in 2021. With the current energy prices, this figure could exceed €250 billion in 2022. Energy savings are also expected to increase in the coming decade, as the existing stock of appliances is gradually replaced by models meeting EU ecodesign requirements.
Working plan actions
The actions outlined in the 2022-2024 working plan will further contribute in various ways to increasing energy savings and strengthening minimum efficiency requirements by
- reviewing and updating current rules for products such as space and water heaters and tumble dryers, adding requirements in areas such as spare parts availability
- identifying new product groups, such as low temperature emitters and electric vehicle charges whose regulatory feasibility and relevance will be assessed by the Commission
- introducing new rules covering product groups currently not regulated such as smartphones, tablets and photovoltaic solar systems that contribute to improving their durability and reparability
- supporting effective national market surveillance and helping manufacturers, importers and retailers to comply with ecodesign rules
- modernizing and rescaling energy labels to better guide consumers in choosing among new generations of products available on the market