BRUSSELS, Belgium, November 7, 2002 (ENS) - The European Commission has circulated a new draft legislative proposal merging two previously separate initiatives to set ecodesign requirements and minimum energy efficiency standards for consumer appliances. The legislation is aimed at curbing Europe's energy consumption and cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
The intention to draft a law was announced by the Commission late last year in a list of future climate policy instruments. The Commission's Energy Directorate has now consulted industry, EU member states and non-governmental interest groups on the issue.
The plans will be debated at a stakeholder meeting in Brussels on 18 November. Early reaction from both industry and environmentalists is mixed.
Hints that the move was in the cards emerged after a speech on product regulation last month by EU Enterprise Commissioner Erkki Liikanen, whose department has co-responsibility for the proposals with the Energy Directorate.
This followed sustained opposition from a wide section of industry, particularly on the draft ecodesign directive, known as triple-E. The energy requirements were more recent.
The new text combines elements of both proposals. It will cover all end-use equipment regardless of energy source, whereas triple-E only targeted electrical equipment.
More significantly, however, it is proposed as a framework directive. This means that products would not be subject to ecodesign or energy efficiency requirements until these are set out in subsequent "implementing measures."
Under triple-E, the requirements would have covered all product categories from the outset.
Computers like this will be designed to use less energy under the new law. (Photo courtesy Freefoto)
This change appears to give enormous breathing space to industry sectors worried at the impact that triple-E initiatives might have on them.
In contrast, however, the new draft explicitly suggests for the first time that the ecodesign requirements might include quantitative limits on the consumption of resources in the production and use of appliances, as well as minimum recycled material content.
Liikanen has sought to calm fears among electronics and appliance makers over a stream of environment and product policy regulations affecting the sector that are due to emerge over the coming months.
A source at one producer association likely to be affected by the new proposal said its reaction would depend on how the design requirements were triggered.
Industry should be given the chance to develop its ideas to improve product performance before implementing measures are proposed, he said.
Meanwhile, an environmental campaigner told reporters that the more concrete wording on ecodesign was a step forward from a previous emphasis on environmental management systems. But the effect of the plans would depend on how much influence industry was allowed to exert on setting the requirements, he stressed.
Both sources criticized the Commission for giving them only a few days to consider the proposal before holding a stakeholder conference.
The Commission has hinted that product sectors offering voluntary efficiency gains will be spared from legislation on fixing minimum standards. These types of commitments will be given "due consideration" under the initiative, it says.
Refrigerator in Birmingham, UK (Photo courtesy BirminghamUK.com)
Separately, two major appliance producing associations are in talks with the Commission over such voluntary commitments. White goods lobby CECED, the European Committee of Domestic Equipment Manufacturers, has proposed a commitment for fridges and freezers that would replace the current system of efficiency labelling on the A to G scale created under a 1992 law. This commitment would include a new target to increase average efficiency by 2008 and the creation of new A+ and A++ labels.
Meanwhile, the European Information, Communications and Consumer Electronics Industry Technology Association (EICTA) has drafted a voluntary commitment with targets to improve the energy efficiency of televisions, along with a pledge to do the same for DVD players and video recorders.
EICTA represents 28 national associations from 18 European countries and 45 major multinational companies with manufacturing and/or research and development facilities in the European Union.
EICTA's aim is to forestall Commission thoughts of applying similar labeling requirements to these products.
{Published in cooperation with ENDS Environment Daily, Europe's choice for environmental news. Environmental Data Services Ltd, London. Email: envdaily@ends.co.uk}
