(1)

Pursuant to Directive 2009/125/EC the Commission should set ecodesign requirements for energy-related products which account for significant volumes of sales and trade in the Union and which have a significant environmental impact and present significant potential for improvement through design in terms of their environmental impact, without entailing excessive costs.

(2)

The Communication from the Commission COM(2016)773 (2) (ecodesign working plan) established by the Commission in application of Article 16(1) of Directive 2009/125/EC sets out the working priorities under the ecodesign and energy labelling framework for the period 2016-2019. The ecodesign working plan identifies the energy-related product groups to be considered as priorities for the undertaking of preparatory studies and eventual adoption of implementing measures, as well as the review of Commission Regulation (EC) No 278/2009 (3).

(3)

Measures from the ecodesign working plan have an estimated potential to deliver by 2030 annual final energy savings in excess of 260 TWh, which is equivalent to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 100 million tonnes. External power supplies are one of the product groups listed in the working plan.

(4)

The Commission established ecodesign requirements for external power supplies in Regulation (EC) No 278/2009. Pursuant to this Regulation the Commission should review it in the light of technological progress.

(5)

The Commission has reviewed Regulation (EC) No 278/2009 and analysed the technical, environmental and economic aspects of external power supplies as well as real-life user behaviour. The review was carried out in close cooperation with stakeholders and interested parties from the Union and third countries. The results of the review were made public and presented to the Consultation Forum established by Article 18 of Directive 2009/125/EC.

(6)

The review study shows that external power supplies are placed on the Union market in large quantities, and outlines the benefits of updating the ecodesign requirements and adapting them to technological progress.

(7)

Multiple voltage output external power supplies, which are not covered by Regulation (EC) No 278/2009, are being placed on the Union market in increasing numbers. They should therefore be included in the scope of the Regulation to ensure further energy savings and provide a level playing field.

(8)

It is appropriate for external power supplies that adapt their output voltage to the primary load to continue to be included in the scope of the Regulation.

(9)

Ecodesign requirements should harmonise the energy consumption of external power supplies, thus contributing to the functioning of the internal market. They should also improve the environmental performance of external power supplies. Potential annual final energy savings of 4,3 TWh by 2030, corresponding to 1,45 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, were estimated compared with the situation where no further measures are taken.

(10)

The relevant product parameters should be measured using reliable, accurate and reproducible methods. Those methods should take into account recognised state-of-the-art measurement methods including, where available, harmonised standards adopted by the European standardisation organisations, as listed in Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 1025/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (4).

(11)

In accordance with Article 8 of Directive 2009/125/EC, this Regulation should specify the applicable conformity assessment procedures.

(12)

To facilitate compliance checks, manufacturers, importers or authorised representatives should provide information in the technical documentation referred to in Annexes IV and V to Directive 2009/125/EC in so far as that information relates to the requirements laid down in this Regulation.

(13)

In addition to the legally binding requirements laid down in this Regulation, benchmarks for best available technologies should be identified to make information on products’ environmental performance over their life cycle subject to this Regulation widely available and easily accessible, in accordance with Directive 2009/125/EC, Annex I, part 3, point 2.

(14)

A review of this Regulation should assess the appropriateness and effectiveness of its provisions in achieving its goals. The timing of the review should be sufficient for all provisions to be implemented and show an effect on the market.

(15)

Regulation (EC) No 278/2009 should therefore be repealed.

(16)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee established by Article 19(1) of Directive 2009/125/EC,

(1)

‘external power supply’ means a device which meets all of the following criteria:

(2)

‘low voltage external power supply’ means an external power supply with a nameplate output voltage of less than 6 volts and a nameplate output current greater than or equal to 550 milliamperes;

(3)

‘multiple voltage output external power supply’ means an external power supply able to convert AC power input from the mains power source into more than one simultaneous output at lower DC or AC voltage;

(4)

‘voltage converter’ means a device converting the 230 volts mains power source input to 110 volts power output with characteristics similar to mains power source input characteristics;

(5)

‘uninterruptible power supply’ means a device that automatically provides backup power when the electrical power from the mains power source drops to an unacceptable voltage level;

(6)

‘battery charger’ means a device that connects directly to a removable battery at its output interface;

(7)

‘lighting converter’ means an external power supply used with extra low voltage light sources;

(8)

‘active power over Ethernet injector’ means a device that converts the mains power source input to a lower DC voltage output, has one or more Ethernet input and/or one or more Ethernet output ports, delivers power to one or several devices connected to the Ethernet output port(s), and provides the rated voltage at the output ports(s) only when compatible devices are detected following a standardised process;

(9)

‘docking station for autonomous appliances’ means a device in which a battery-operated appliance that executes tasks requiring the appliance to move without any user intervention is placed for charging, and that can guide the independent movements of the appliance;

(10)

‘mains’ means the electricity supply from the grid of 230 (± 10 %) volts of alternating current at 50 Hz;

(11)

‘information technology equipment’ means any equipment which has a primary function of either entry, storage, display, retrieval, transmission, processing, switching, or control, of data or of telecommunication messages or a combination of these functions and may be equipped with one or more terminal ports typically operated for information transfer;

(12)

‘domestic environment’ means an environment where the use of broadcast radio and television receivers may be expected within a distance of 10 m of the equipment concerned;

(13)

‘nameplate output power’ (PO) means the maximum output power as specified by the manufacturer;

(14)

‘no-load condition’ means the condition in which the input of an external power supply is connected to the mains power source, but the output is not connected to any primary load;

(15)

‘active mode’ means a condition in which the input of an external power supply is connected to the mains power source and the output is connected to a primary load;

(16)

‘active mode efficiency’ means the ratio of the power produced by an external power supply in active mode to the input power required to produce it;

(17)

‘average active efficiency’ means the average of the active mode efficiencies at 25 %, 50 %, 75 % and 100 % of the nameplate output power;

(18)

‘equivalent model’ means a model which has the same technical characteristics relevant for the technical information to be provided, but which is placed on the market or put into service by the same manufacturer, importer or authorised representative as another model with a different model identifier;

(19)

‘model identifier’ means the code, usually alphanumeric, which distinguishes a specific product model from other models with the same trade mark or the same manufacturer’s, importer’s or authorised representative’s name.