Explanatory Memorandum to COM(2006)576 - Community energy-efficiency labelling programme for office equipment (Recast) - Main contents
Please note
This page contains a limited version of this dossier in the EU Monitor.
| dossier | COM(2006)576 - Community energy-efficiency labelling programme for office equipment (Recast). |
|---|---|
| source | COM(2006)576  |
| date | 04-10-2006 |
Based on an Agreement with the Government of the United States of America on the coordination of energy-efficiency labelling programmes for office equipment, Regulation (EC) 2422/2001 lays down the rules for implementing the Energy Star programme for office equipment (computers, computer monitors, printers, copiers, scanners, fax machines) in the Community. The purpose of this proposal to recast Regulation (EC) 2422/2001 is to adapt implementation of the Energy Star programme to the new Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and the European Community on the coordination of energy-efficiency labelling programmes for office equipment. The new Agreement provides the basis to continue the Energy Star programme in the Community for a second period of five years. A proposal for a Council Decision on signature and conclusion of the new Energy Star Agreement is being submitted to the Council in parallel to this proposal to recast Regulation (EC) 2422/2001.
The proposals on the new Agreement and to recast Regulation (EC) 2422/2001 take into account the experience gained during the first period of implementation of the Energy Star programme in the Community, from 2001 to 2006, and of the consultations of the European Community Energy Star Board. The objective is further to improve implementation of the Energy Star programme in order to make the programme more effective and to reap the potential energy savings.
Contents
- Reasons for continuing the Energy Star programme
- THE NEW ENERGY STAR AGREEMENT
- PROPOSED CHANGES TO REGULATION (EC) 2422/2001
- Article 6: Promotion of the logo
- Article 8: European Community Energy Star Board (ECESB)
- Article 10: Working plan
- Article 11: Preparatory procedures for the revision of technical criteria
- Article 13 of Regulation (EC) 2422/2001: Implementation
- Article 14 of Regulation (EC) 2422/2001 - Article 13 of the recast version: Revision
- Annex
- Recast
The detailed reasons for continuing the Energy Star programme for a second period of five years are set out in the Communication on the implementation of the Energy Star programme in the period 2001-2005 i and in the Recommendation from the Commission to the Council to open negotiations on the second Energy Star Agreement i. The main points are summarised below:
- Efficient use of energy is one of the main pillars for a sustainable energy policy in the EC. The Commission’s Green Paper on energy efficiency i identifies the following major benefits from efficient use of energy: securing the competitiveness of the European economy due to lower spending on energy, environmental protection due to a reduction of carbon dioxide emissions caused by energy use, security of energy supply due to a reduction of energy demand and, hence, reduction of dependence on energy imports.
- Office equipment takes a significant share of electricity consumption in the EC. If no measures are taken, consumption could increase as functionality is enhanced and stock in offices and households increases. In order to meet the targets set in the Green Paper on energy efficiency, the energy performance of office equipment must be further optimised.
- The EC Energy Star programme provides a framework for coordinating the national efforts of the EC Member States to improve the energy efficiency of office equipment. A coordinated approach is necessary in order to minimise the adverse impact on industry and trade, since uncoordinated national requirements would impose additional costs on manufacturers, traders and, consequently, purchasers and users of office equipment.
- Since office equipment is traded worldwide, measures to optimise its energy efficiency should be implemented together with global partners and decision-makers. A harmonised approach reduces programme implementation costs and avoids confusion for consumers. The Energy Star programme provides a framework for coordinating action to improve the energy efficiency of office equipment with the USA, Japan and other key market players. The Energy Star programme owned by the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and managed by the European Commission for the EC and for the EEA is therefore the natural platform for measures aiming at improving the energy efficiency of office equipment through labelling.
- The voluntary Energy Star programme is widely accepted by manufacturers. Furthermore, in the USA it is important for public procurement since the technical specifications have to be observed in public procurement procedures. This provides an incentive for manufacturers to put on the market products complying with the programme’s requirements. As a consequence, the market is driven towards energy-efficient products and significant energy savings could be achieved, provided the technical specifications are demanding (e.g. cover 25% of the models) at the time the criteria are set. The Commission believes that the input of EC experts is an important contribution to developing consistent and demanding technical specifications.
- Although it is not possible to quantify the energy savings, the Commission and the stakeholders consider that the Energy Star programme for office equipment has contributed to improving the energy efficiency of office equipment sold in the EU. On the other hand, significant potential to improve the energy performance of office equipment in a cost-effective manner still exists. However, the fast pace of innovation and product development cycles require highly flexible instruments, such as voluntary labelling schemes, which can be adapted more swiftly to technological progress and developments on the market.
- The programme enhances transparency on the office equipment market, particularly regarding the energy performance of office equipment. This is a prerequisite for motivating consumers, the tertiary sector and public procurement authorities to include energy efficiency and the total cost of ownership, including the electricity bill, in their purchasing decisions. In particular, the Energy Star database managed by the Commission may be used by national, regional and local authorities as a basis for activities to promote particularly energy-efficient office equipment.
The first Agreement with the United States expired in June 2006. The Commission proposed to renew the Agreement for a second period of five years. On 5 May 2006 it was authorised to negotiate a new Agreement. The European Parliament was informed of the negotiations on the new Energy Star Agreement at the meeting of the Industry, Research and Energy Committee on 30 May 2006.
The proposal on the new Agreement contains the explicit requirement that the common technical specifications must be demanding at the time the energy-efficiency criteria are set. This is a prerequisite to foster the energy efficiency of office equipment effectively. Furthermore, the energy-efficiency criteria have to address energy consumption not only in standby but also in other relevant modes, in particular on-mode.
Consequently, Annex C to the proposed new Agreement contains demanding and innovative common technical specifications for monitors and imaging equipment (copiers, printers, scanners, faxes) covering both standby and on-mode energy consumption. Estimates suggest that the new common technical specifications for imaging equipment which were endorsed by the EC Energy Star Board (a consultative forum made up of the Member States, industry and environmental and consumer NGOs) on 24 May 2006 will save 17 TWh in EU-25 during the next three years. Details of the calculation are available at www.eu-energystar.org. New common technical specifications for computers are being developed and are foreseen to come into force in 2007.
During the consultations on the rationale for renewing the Energy Star Agreement, the EC Energy Star Board (ECESB) requested that the Energy Star programme should be implemented more efficiently in the EC if the Agreement were renewed. Several simplifications are therefore proposed, both in this recast of Regulation (EC) 2422/2001 and in the draft Council Decision on conclusion of the new Agreement – in particular streamlining of the process for updating the energy-efficiency criteria to make the programme more flexible and easier to adapt to rapid technological progress and developments on the market.
As far as the recast of Regulation (EC) 2422/2001 is concerned, the proposed changes aim at reducing the implementation costs for the Community institutions and for the Member States, in accordance with the voluntary nature of the programme. The proposed changes reflect the results of exploratory discussions in the ECESB.
The proposal is to abolish the obligations for the Member States and the Commission to promote the logo because the Energy Star programme is a voluntary labelling scheme for manufacturers. Product registration and promotion are therefore the responsibility of the manufacturers. However, the Commission will continue to provide lists of participating manufacturers and registered products plus an internet portal including a database of registered products, information for purchasers/users of office equipment, etc.
The proposal is to abolish the obligation for the ECESB to produce a report on the market penetration of Energy Star products and on the technology available. Experience has shown that the ECESB is not in a position to perform these tasks (e.g. due to lack of resources). Instead, the Commission plans to launch a tender for a market survey on office equipment to support future upgrades of the energy-efficiency criteria.
The proposal is to abolish the requirement that the Commission should keep the European Parliament and the Council informed of the Board’s activities. This is considered redundant because the Commission’s Energy Star internet portal contains all information relevant to implementation of the programme including information on the ECESB’s activities, i.e. minutes of meetings, working documents, working plan, etc.
This Article has been reworded to bring it into line with the current stage of implementation of the programme (a working plan for 2006 has been issued) and make it consistent with the proposed amendments to Articles 6 and 8.
A further proposal is to provide for the Commission to issue an annual working plan in consultation with the ECESB and to publish it. This arrangement has been used over the last few years and is considered appropriate as it ensures full transparency.
This amendment makes it clear that the ECESB and the Commission may take the initiative to amend the Agreement and, in particular, the common technical specifications.
Furthermore, the obligations for the ECESB regarding revision of technical specifications have been reduced because practice has shown that the ECESB has limited resources and cannot comply with these provisions.
This Article is repealed because no duties that should be reported upon are placed on the Member States.
This Article has been reworded to lighten the burden of programme implementation on the Commission and to make it consistent with the voluntary nature of the Energy Star scheme.
The Annex depicting the logo has been deleted because the Energy Star marks are already contained in the Agreement and there is no need to repeat them. In addition, changes to the design of the logo belonging to the US Environmental Protection Agency should not be subject to a Community co-decision procedure.
This proposal recasts Regulation (EC) 2422/2001 in line with the Interinstitutional Agreement on the recasting technique for legal acts i. This means that it incorporates in a single text both the substantive amendments to Regulation (EC) 2422/2001 and the unchanged provisions thereof. This proposal will replace and repeal Regulation (EC) 2422/2001. This should help to make the Community legislation more accessible and transparent.
2422/2001 (adapted)