EU Commission wants representative test methods for Ecodesign and Energy Label

Commissioner Miguel Arias Cañete has confirmed the Commission’s intention to find test methods that represent the real-life use of energy-consuming products to support Ecodesign and Energy Labelling regulations.

The Energy Labelling regulation (EU) 2017/1369 already specifies that “harmonised standards shall aim to simulate real-life usage as far as possible […]”. In November, Danish MEP Jeppe Kofod asked the European Parliament to what extent the current test methods that determine the product-ratings on the Energy Label, represent the energy efficiency level of products when consumers use them in real life. In his response of last week, Commissioner Cañete underlined the provision of the new Energy Label regulation, and emphasised that “test standards will be progressively reviewed to achieve this”. He noted that standards that better reflect consumer behaviour are now systematically requested from the European Standardisation Bodies via the Standardisation Requests.

This constitutes another strong political signal towards the improvement of current test methods in the Ecodesign framework, something ECOS has long advocated for.

ECOS recently presented the different ways in which current test methods and practices may hinder the delivery of the energy savings expected by the regulations and proposed a set of concrete actions for improvement at a conference organised by ECEEE.

ECOS expects to see the implementation of the provisions now set in regulation for more representative methods and will continue to work towards this direction on both the regulatory and standardization platforms.