What is the background to EuP?

How much energy could EuP save?

How does EuP fit in with other environmental legislation?

Why can the UK not simply introduce its own mandatory standards?

Which products are being considered for standards?

How are products assessed?

Why not just agree voluntary standards?

Does EuP cover any products now?

When will the first new implementing measures come into effect?

Does the Directive contain any immediate obligations for manufacturers?

As a manufacturer, how do I find out what the implications of EuP could be for me?

What is the Market Transformation Programme’s role?

Where can I find more information?

What is the background to EuP?

Most energy flows through products at some point – boilers, light bulbs, computers etc.  Our energy policy and, indeed, our broader policy on sustainable development depends on gearing up an innovation process which will ensure such products become more resource efficient over time. One aspect of that is to remove the worst performers from the market.

With over 80% of all product-related environmental impacts estimated as being determined during the product design phase the absence of effective regulation increases the risk that the market will not deliver the benefits that industrial innovation could provide.

This Directive is intended to help deliver EU objectives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, to reduce the adverse environmental impacts of products – implementing Integrated Product Policy (IPP), and to ensure free-trade in energy-using products.  The policy responds to calls to develop effective regulation (and to speed up that process) whilst avoiding the risk of Member States developing their own legislation and compliance requirements, which could create barriers to trade.

How much energy could EuP save?

EuP will establish eco-design requirements aimed at reducing the overall environmental impact of strategically important energy using products (excluding means of transport). The Commission estimates that this measure alone could reduce EU energy consumption by around 10% while an IEA study on energy savings in California attributes 30% of all energy saved to product standards of the type envisaged in EuP.

How does EuP fit in with other Environmental legislation?

The EuP Directive will integrate with existing EU measures which relate to the energy performance of energy-using equipment.  These include the mandatory energy labelling of household appliances, existing directives which set energy efficiency requirements for boilers, household refrigeration and lighting components, industry self commitments, the WEEE Directive and a range of environmental product information.  Information collected through the EuP product studies will be used to underpin and update policies such as mandatory Energy Labelling and the Energy Star Scheme.

Why can the UK not simply introduce its own mandatory standards?

In general, the Government cannot introduce mandatory labelling or make specific energy efficiency requirements for traded goods where that would create a barrier to trade.  That is why we are keen to support the development of EU and international standards that will help drive and underpin progress that we can achieve in the UK.

Which products are being considered for standards?

Some of these have now reported.  Reports are available from the project web sites.

How are products assessed?

The methodology can be broken down into eight steps. Full details are given in the briefing note.
1. Product definition, looking at labelling, standards and existing legislation.
2. Economic and market analysis: does the product have sufficient impact..
3. Consumer Behaviour and local infrastructure
4. Technical analysis of existing products
5. Assessment of the base case
6. Technical analysis of Best Available Technology (BAT)
7. Improvement Potential
8. Scenario, policy, impact and sensitivity analysis

Why not just agree voluntary standards?

Although the focus of the Directive is on setting mandatory standards, a clear intention is to encourage voluntary action by manufacturers to improve the eco-design of their products, which would make regulatory action unnecessary.

Does EuP cover any products now?

There are no new minimum standards under EuP yet but three existing EU Directives on minimum energy efficiency requirements have been brought within the EuP Directive (i.e. Directives for hot water boilers (92/42/EEC), domestic refrigeration appliances (96/57/EC) and ballasts for fluorescent lighting (2000/55/EC)).

When will the first new implementing measures come into effect?

The current expected timetable is available here.

As this shows it is unlikely, that the first mandatory implementation measures under EuP will arise before 2008 and so the Government is also actively pursuing other measures, both in the UK and internationally, to raise product standards.  These include:

• industry voluntary agreements – such as the Code of Conduct on Digital TV Services.  This Code of Conduct has enabled the UK to avoid carbon emissions of an estimated 400,000 tonnes per annum at virtually no cost.  Budget 2006 also announced a new voluntary initiative with retailers to encourage the purchase of more energy efficient consumer electronics;
• embedding product standards into Building Regulations.  In 2005, the Government amended the Buildings Regulations to raise minimum standards for new and replacement condensing boilers in dwellings to the highest practicable level and it estimated that this change will save 0.98 MtC in 2010.
• product endorsement via schemes such as the Energy Saving Trust’s ‘Energy Saving Recommended’ logo.
• procurement policy – the UK Government has published its action plan on sustainable procurement
• the UK-led International Task Force on Sustainable Products which is encouraging international benchmarking.

Does the Directive contain any immediate obligations for manufacturers?

No, but it does define conditions and criteria for setting, through subsequent implementing measures, requirements regarding environmentally relevant product characteristics (such as energy consumption) and allows them to be improved quickly and efficiently.

These implementing measures will be established by the Commission, advised by a Consultation Forum and Regulatory Committee. The measures will require equipment suppliers to take account of environmental aspects in the design and development stages (e.g. by using environmental management systems) and to achieve certain standards in the end-use performance (e.g. its energy efficiency) of products placed on the EU market. 

As a manufacturer, how do I find out what the implications of EuP could be for me?

If the products you manufacture are being considered under one of the preparatory studies, the study has a website which gives information about progress of the project and details of how to contribute. A full list of these is given on the MTP website (preparatory studies). If the study is in progress, you should contact the study leader, otherwise if the study has completed, please contact the UK Government or the EU at tren-ecodesign@ec.europa.eu.

Once the EU have issued a draft Implementing measure the Government will consult stakeholders on their views as part of formulating the UK’s position on the measure.  The Market Transformation Programme will help manage the consultation process (see below).

If you want to keep in touch with developments on EuP join the interest group on EU policies via http://www.mtprog.com/cms/JoinInterestGroup, or send an email to info@mtprog.com asking to be kept up to date with news on EuP.

What is the Market Transformation Programme’s role?

The Government’s Market Transformation Programme (MTP) is engaged with the project teams carrying out the studies to provide detailed information and advice from the UK’s perspective to ensure that the studies are robust and comprehensive.  As a result of pressure from the UK and other Member States, the Commission has agreed to “fast-track” a study on simple set-top boxes, while respecting the terms of the Directive. 

The EU will issue draft implementing measures after the preparatory studies have reported.  MTP will assist the Government in consulting with stakeholders on their views on what the UK position should be on these measures.

Where can I find more information?

MTP Briefing Note: BNXS03: Framework Directive for the EcoDesign of Energy Using Products (EuP Directive)

European Commission (DG Energy & Transport): EuP

Study for preparing the first Working Plan of the EcoDesign Directive:

The sites for the individual studies.

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