The adoption by the European Commission of the Ecodesign Work Plan (ecodesign) and on energy labeling 2020-2024 (1). The plan will set priorities for the adoption of specific legislation on products falling within this scope. But for environmentalists it will arrive with a delay of at least two years.
'Ecodesign and energy labeling rules have proven to be one of the EU's most effective tools for promoting energy efficiency, contributing to around half of the 2020 energy saving target. In addition, the ecodesign rules have begun to address the issue of more efficient use of materials in product design', explains the European Commission (1).
Eco-design establishes minimum European standards to eliminate less performing products from the market, while energy labels give clear information on energy efficiency and other important characteristics of technological products, which allow consumers to make more informed and - potentially - even better choices from the point of view of the energy bill, today subject to strong tensions due to the increase in the prices of raw materials.
'It is estimated that the EU legislation on energy labeling and eco-design it will allow energy savings of approximately 230 Mtoe (million tons of oil equivalent) by 2030. For consumers, these data translate into a average savings on the bill up to € 285 per year. In addition, the energy efficiency measures will create additional revenues of € 66 billion for European businesses. '. (2)
Energy labeling ed ecodesign they are important for improving energy use. But today the legislation must be updated, and also rapidly, because the challenges have multiplied.
There are technological innovations current, the need to face an increasingly serious climate crisis - waste of energy and production of excess and not easily repairable household appliances are no longer sustainable - and the demands of the circular economy. There The roadmap traced by the EU, however, seems already behind the times, also considering the current energy costs (in huge increase) and the saving possibilities for families, which are nullified with the delays.
THEecodesign in short, as the environmentalists of theEuropean Environmental Bureau (EEB), helps achieve climate and circular economy goals but is neglected. And that means higher emissions and higher energy bills for citizens.
Energy labels have already changed. In March of this year the new energy label made its debut. The most important change was the return to the AG rating scale, which indicates maximum and minimum energy efficiency. The scale is designed so that at the beginning very few products have the best classification, the A precisely, to include more efficient products in the highest energy class in the future. This should also avoid the confusion of the consumer, who can hardly assess the difference between a product labeled as A ++ and one as A +++.
So far the energy label it has been a key factor in helping consumers choose more energy efficient products. This year five product groups have been 'rescaled' according to the new label: refrigerators and freezers, dishwashers, washing machines, televisions and simple monitors, lamps (for bulbs and lamps with fixed light sources the new label arrived on 1 September 2021 ).
'As more and more products have reached classes A +, A + + or A + + + according to the current scale, the most important modification of the new labels is the return to the simpler AG scale, stricter and designed so that very few products are initially able to achieve the A rating, leaving a good margin for the inclusion of more efficient products in the future. Indeed, the most energy efficient products on the market now will typically be labeled B, C or D. The labels contain new elements, including a QR link to an EU-wide database that will allow consumers to find more details about the product . A number of ecodesign rules will also come into force on 1 March, in particular regarding repairability and the obligation for manufacturers to keep spare parts available for a certain number of years even after products are not more placed on the market '. (3)
Other product groups will be rescaled in the next few years: dryers, local space heaters, air conditioners, cooking appliances, ventilation units, professional refrigerated cabinets, space heaters, water heaters, solid fuel boilers. The ambitious goal is then to extend the standard to other products, even those not included in the energy classification, by 2023, starting from smartphone e tablets, Smart TV and laptops.
The norms on eco-design are also a tool to improve the environmental performance of products, setting mandatory minimum standards for their energy efficiency. Eco-design includes the repairability and recyclability of products, with the inclusion of elements aimed at further improving the repairability and recyclability of appliances.
Among the new measures there are certain requirements under the EU, such as making spare parts more easily replaceable and ensuring that spare parts and repair and maintenance information are available to end users and professional repairers, as appropriate, for a minimum duration of 7-10 years depending on the product.
The roadmap set by the EU for the 2020-2024 plan, however, is already overdue according to the EEB (European Environmental Bureau). For the Federation, the delays inecodesign they threaten the achievement of the 2030 climate targets. And the price will be paid by families.
'The work plan for ecodesign and energy labeling for the period 2020-2024 is still under development e it should be adopted with a delay of at least two years', already reported the EEB in September of this year.
The abbreviation calls on the European Commission to allocate appropriate resources to eco-design and energy labeling policies. On the other hand, delays in the development of these policies cause 10 million tons (CO2eq) of additional emissions every year by 2030, according to the analysis of ECOS and theEuropean Environmental Bureau (EEB) for the Coolproducts campaign (4).
According to the EEB the European Commission is dragging it out in developing eco-design and energy labeling standards for products, mainly due to a lack of resources. In short, these policies would not be given the importance and resources they deserve. To date, the EEB explains, only 25% of the updates planned for the period 2016-2019 have been completed.
The EEB estimates that delays in eco-design and energy labeling policies will cost consumers € 40 billion by 2030.
'These delays have a tangible impact on the environment and consumers: By 2030, delays in the work plan will translate into nearly 10 million tonnes of CO2eq emissions per year, equivalent to 5 million cars, roughly the number recorded in Belgium. In addition, consumers could save € 40 billion on their energy bills between 2020 and 2030. As the situation stands, an average European household will spend € 110 more on energy by 2030, as a direct result of policies. inadequate'. (4)
From politics alone di ecodesign and energy labeling, on the other hand, could bring about a third of the savings needed to reach the EU target of reducing emissions by 55% for 2030.
If Europe strengthened its policy of ecodesign and energy labeling, an additional 58 million tons of Co2 could be saved per year. It is roughly the equivalent of Hungary's annual emissions, and is nearly 4% of the effort needed to reach the 55% reduction target.
Sabrina Bergamini
Energy efficiency and circular economy - work plan on eco-design and energy labeling 2020-2024 https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/12852-Efficienza-energetica-ed-economia-circolare-piano-di-lavoro-sulla-progettazione-ecocompatibile-e-letichettatura-energetica-2020-2024_it
Energy labeling and eco-design, European Commission https://ec.europa.eu/info/energy-climate-change-environment/standards-tools-and-labels/products-labelling-rules-and-requirements/energy-label-and-ecodesign/about_it
European Commission March 2021 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/it/ip_21_818
Coolproducts dossier https://www.coolproducts.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/EEB_ECOS-Delays-in-ecodesign-report.pdf