Ecodesign and energy labelling requirements — household refrigerators

SUMMARY OF:

Regulation (EU) 2019/2019 laying down ecodesign requirements for refrigerating appliances

Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/2016 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1369 with regard to energy labelling of refrigerating appliances

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE REGULATIONS?

Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/2019 establishes ecodesign* requirements for the sale or putting into service of electric mains-operated* refrigerating appliances* with a capacity of between 10 and 1,500 litres.

Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/2016 lays down rules on the labelling of, and supply of additional product information on, these refrigerating appliances.

KEY POINTS

Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/2019:

sets out in Annex II the dates when the ecodesign requirements come into force — 1 March 2021 in the first instance and more stringent measures from 1 March 2024. These cover
- energy efficiency
- functional aspects
- resource efficiency
- information for installers and end-users;
sets out the conformity assessment procedure, and in Annex III the measurement methods and calculations, that must be followed.

National authorities must apply the verification procedures laid down in Annex IV when carrying out market surveillance checks.

Manufacturers, importers or their authorised representatives must not offer for sale products capable of detecting when being tested and changing their performance accordingly.

Annex V sets out indicative benchmarks based on the best-performing products and technologies available for refrigerating appliances in terms of their energy efficiency index and noise emissions.

The regulation repeals Regulation (EC) No 643/2009 from 1 March 2021.

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/2016 sets out obligations on:

suppliers to ensure that:
- each refrigerating appliance has a printed label in the format set out in Annex III
- the parameters of the product information sheet, set out in Annex V, and the content of the technical documentation (Annex VI) are uploaded into the product database
- visual advertisements for a particular model contain the energy efficiency class and range of classes available in line with Annexes VII and VIII
- technical promotional material, including on the internet, for a particular model describing its specific parameters includes the appliance’s energy efficiency class and the range of available classes according to Annex VII
- dealers receive for each refrigerating appliance an electronic label in Annex III format and an electronic product information sheet as set out in Annex V;
dealers to ensure that:
- each refrigerating appliance on sale, including at trade fairs, bears a clearly visible label provided by suppliers in line with Annex III
- in the event of distance selling, the label and product information sheet comply with Annexes VII and VIII
- visual advertisements, including on the internet, for a specific model contain the energy efficiency class and range of classes according to Annex VII
- technical promotional material, including on the internet, for a particular model describing its specific parameters includes the appliance’s energy efficiency class and the range of available classes according to Annex VII;
internet hosting platforms to ensure that
- the electronic label and electronic product information sheet provided by the dealer are clearly displayed, according to Annex VIII, on all refrigeration appliances sold directly through the site.

National authorities apply the verification procedure laid down in Annex IX when carrying out market surveillance checks.

The energy efficiency class is based on an index set out in Annex II.

The European Commission must review the regulation in the light of technological progress 6 years after its entry into force. It must also consider addressing circular economy aspects and whether to introduce icons for compartments that may reduce food waste and for annual energy consumption.

The regulation repeals Regulation (EU) No 1060/2020 from 1 March 2021.

Neither regulation applies to:

professional refrigerated storage cabinets and blast cabinets, except professional chest freezers;
refrigerating appliances directly used for sales;
mobile refrigerating appliances;
appliances where refrigerated food storage is not the primary function.

FROM WHEN DO THE REGULATIONS APPLY?

They both apply from 1 March 2021.

BACKGROUND

Directive 2009/125/EC establishes a framework to set ecodesign requirements for energy-related products. It tasks the Commission to set these for products which are widely sold and traded in the EU and have a significant environmental impact. Regulation (EU) 2017/1369 establishes a framework to set energy labelling requirements for energy-related products to enable consumers to choose more efficient products to reduce their energy consumption.

For more information, see:

Review of ecodesign requirements for household cold appliances (European Commission).

KEY TERMS

Ecodesign: policy to improve, through better design, products' environmental performance throughout their life cycle, especially their energy efficiency.

Electric mains: electricity supply from the grid of 230 volts.

Refrigerating appliance: an insulated cabinet with one or more compartments controlled at specific temperatures, cooled by natural or forced convection.

MAIN DOCUMENTS

Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/2019 of 1 October 2019 laying down ecodesign requirements for refrigerating appliances pursuant to Directive 2009/125/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and repealing Commission Regulation (EC) No 643/2009 (OJ L 315, 5.12.2019, pp. 187-208)

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/2016 of 11 March 2019 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1369 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to energy labelling of refrigerating appliances and repealing Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 1060/2010 (OJ L 315, 5.12.2019, pp. 102-133)