Eco-Design of Energy-using products (EuP) Directive – policy background
Overview
The Directive provides an EU-wide framework for improving the environmental performance of energy-related products (ERPs) through eco-design. It allows for EU wide rules on the environmental performance of these products to be made, preventing national legislation in these areas becoming obstacles to the intra-EU trade. This should benefit both businesses and consumers, by allowing free movement of goods across the EU and by enhancing product quality and environmental protection.
Not all energy-using products will have obligations under the framework Directive, only those meeting criteria with significant environmental impact and volume of trade in the internal market which have clear potential for improvement, for example where market forces fail to make progress in the absence of a legal requirement.
Studies and development of measures
The European Commission has decided that the first step in considering whether and which eco-design requirements should be set for a particular product is a preparatory study. This is to recommend ways to improve the environmental performance of the product.
The output from the studies provide the Commission with the necessary information to prepare for the next phases (carried out by the Commission) - the Consultation Forum meetings, and a possible draft implementing measure. They can take the form of 'daughter' Directives, Regulations or Commission Decisions. Depending on the type of implementing measure proposed, new legislation may be required in the UK although to date measures have been Commission Regulations which do not require transposition.
Links to the studies and the final measures are on the Studies and Regulations Page.
EC Eco-design Consultation Forum
Article 18 of the Directive provides for the establishing a group of experts called “Consultation Forum” which allows stakeholders to contribute to the implementation of the Directive at the European level. The tasks of the group of experts is to contribute in particular to the definition and review of working documents, 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.
Extension of the Directive
In 2009, the original 2006 Directive was recast (amended) as the Eco-design Directive (2009/125/EC) to cover a wider range of products, including energy-related products (ERPs). These include products which do not consume energy, but which impact on energy consumption, for example, windows, insulation materials or water-using devices such as shower heads or taps, which can reduce water consumption and therefore the amount of energy needed to heat water.
