Energy efficiency requirements for household electric refrigerators, freezers and combinations

Of the 14 amendments adopted by the EP, 2 have been accepted by the Commission and 2 more have been accepted in principle but with some rephrasing. The Commission has accepted the thrust of the amendments to considerably strengthen the initial proposal and make it more ambitious. In particular, the Commission has accepted the amendment foreseeing a shorter implementation time for the directive of 2 years and the principle of a more stringent first level of efficiency requirements. The Commission proposes for the first phase an efficiency improvement of 15% (the EP proposed 20%). The Commission shares the EP's view that a dynamic approach is needed and especially a second set of efficiency requirements to enter into force later on (though without introducing in the proposal a fixed second level of efficiency requirements). Consequently, the amended proposal proposes to evaluate the technical and economic situation following the entry into force of the first level and, in consultation with interested parties, to determine the optimum technical/economic levels of second-phase efficiency requirements and the best measures to achieve them (voluntary agreements, new proposal to set new requirements associated with a mandate to the normalization bodies, modification of the proposal. It should be noted that the Commission has not accepted the amendments requiring manufacturers to inform customers of non-complying appliances. �