Commissie verzoekt Duitsland en Tsjechië om aan regels voor uitbannen energie-onzuinige apparaten te voldoen (en)

Brussels, 29 September 2011 - All energy using products have an impact on the environment during their life-cycle spanning all phases from creation to disposal. More than 80% of the environmental impact of a product is determined at the design stage. The EU legislation provides a framework as regards requirements for energy-related products. The most inefficient devices are progressively being banned from the market and replaced by more innovative products with equal or better functionalities and good environmental performance. This is why the Commission has today formally requested the Czech Republic and Germany to bring their national legislation on Ecodesign in line with EU rules. The Commission has decided to send a reasoned opinion to the Czech Republic and Germany. If the Member States do not comply with their legal obligations within two months, the Commission may refer it to the Court of Justice.

Despite a letter of formal notice sent on 27 January 2011, the Czech Republic and Germany have not yet informed the Commission of the full transposition of the Ecodesign Directive into their national legislation.

In addition, examination of the measures implemented so far by the Czech Republic shows that the new scope of application of the Ecodesign directive does not yet appear in national law. In fact, the definition of "energy-using products" should be adapted to the wider scope of "energy-related products."

Background

With its 2009 recast, the scope of the Ecodesign Directive 2009/125/EC was extended from energy using to energy-relevant products, taking also into account products, such as windows, which do not use energy directly, but have a major impact on the electricity consumption.

The measures put in place so far under the old Ecodesign Directive 2005/32/EC (covering lighting, televisions, electric motors, washing machines etc.) will already save around 400 Terawatt hours per year by 2020, an amount which corresponds to the electricity consumption of France.

The EU has committed itself to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20% as compared to 1990 levels and to reduce by 20% our energy consumption through improved energy efficiency by 2020. The Ecodesign process is key in reaching these objectives.

Ecodesign implies taking into account all the environmental impacts of a product right from the earliest stage of design. This especially avoids unintended effects of product planning. Requirements for each product are defined in specific implementing measures adopted by the Commission.

Further information

The Directive on Ecodesign can be consulted here.

Commission web page on Ecodesign:

http://ec.europa.eu/energy/efficiency/ecodesign/eco_design_en.htm

Some concise information on the stages of an infringement procedure is available here.

Current figures on infringements in general can be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/eu_law/infringements/infringements_en.htm

For more information on EU infringement procedures, see MEMO/11/646.