31976H0496

COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION of 4 May 1976 on the rational use of energy for electrical household appliances (76/496/EEC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community,

Having regard to the draft from the Commission,

Whereas, in its resolution of 17 September 1974 concerning a new energy policy strategy for the Community (1), the Council accepted as an objective the "reduction of the rate of growth of internal consumption by measures for using energy rationally and economically without jeopardizing social and economic growth objectives";

Whereas, in its resolution of 17 December 1974 on a Community action programme on the rational utilization of energy (2), the Council noted that, in its communication to the Council entitled "Rational utilization of energy", the Commission had drawn up a Community action programme in this field;

Whereas information on the power consumption of electrical household appliances should be made available to buyers in the most comprehensible and standardized manner possible with a view to encouraging them to buy those which use energy most economically;

Whereas the measures recommended are likely to produce sufficiently large savings in energy to make the required investment economically worthwhile,

HEREBY RECOMMENDS TO THE MEMBER STATES:

That they adopt any measures necessary to ensure that: (a) the unit energy consumption of each electrical household appliance listed in the Annex hereto is indicated on a label in conformity with harmonized European standards for the information of prospective buyers. The main purpose of these harmonized standards would be to define a common method of labelling and of informing consumers about the energy consumption of electrical household appliances, and to define a method of measuring the unit consumption. Compliance with these standards would be ensured in accordance with procedures which do not impede free movement of goods within the Community;

(b) the same indications of unit energy consumption are used both in consumer information and in advertising, thus providing the consumer with comparable energy consumption figures on which to base his choice;

(c) an information campaign is undertaken in each country to make consumers aware of the way in which each of the electrical household appliances listed in the Annex hereto should be used in order to achieve maximum energy-saving.

Done at Brussels, 4 May 1976.

For the Council

The President

G. THORN (1)OJ No C 153, 9.7.1975, p. 1. (2)OJ No C 153, 9.7.1975, p. 5.

ANNEX List of electrical household appliances covered by this recommendation

Water heaters

Cookers

Refrigerators, freezers and deep-freeze units

Television sets

Dishwashers

Washing machines

Dryers

Spin dryers

Ironing machines