Advertising should show energy consumption of products - Main contents

Any advertisement promoting technical specifications of fridges, washing machines or ovens should indicate the product's energy consumption, said the Industry Committee as it amended the Energy Labelling Directive on Monday night.

The energy label helps consumers to assess the running costs when buying new household appliances such as fridges, freezers, washing machines, driers, dishwashers, or ovens. Manufacturers are obliged to indicate the energy consumption irrespective of whether the product performs well (green “A” class) or poorly (red “G” class) on this measure.

Energy label for all energy-using and energy-saving products

In future, the label must also be attached to energy-consuming products for commercial and industrial use, such as cold storage rooms, display cabinets or vending machines, stipulates the Industry Committee. Additionally, the energy labelling obligation will apply to energy-related products, including construction products, which do not consume energy but "have a significant direct or indirect impact" on energy savings such as window glazing and frames or outer doors, says the directive, as amended by the committee. 

Advertising must indicate energy consumption or saving

Any advertisement promoting technical specifications of a specific model will have to show the product's energy consumption or energy savings, for example, by reference to the energy class, says a provision added by the committee.

The committee also laid down that any technical promotional literature such as manuals and manufacturers' brochures - whether printed or offered in the Internet - should indicate the product's energy consumption or energy label.

Tax credits for highly energy-efficient products

Member States should only provide incentives for products meeting the minimum energy efficiency criteria - i.e. categorised as at least class G, say MEPs, who recommend tax credits, both for consumers using highly energy-efficient products and for industries that promote and produce such products, and reduced value added tax on materials and components that improve energy efficiency. 

Public authorities to procure the most energy-efficient products

The committee specifies that public authorities should aim to procure products of the highest energy efficiency class and in any event only those products that meet the minimum energy efficiency criteria - i.e. are categorised as at least class G. This condition applies for all contracts with a value of at least €15,000 (excluding VAT).

The technical details of the directive, such as the energy classes of specific products, will be determined by a Commission working group under the "regulatory procedure with scrutiny".

The report was adopted in committee with 45 votes in favour and two against. -- Procedure: co-decision -- First-reading vote in plenary: 21-24 April

09/03/2009

In the chair : Anne LAPERROUZE (ALDE, FR)