Commission to set out new approach on Ecodesign

Following two discussions of the College of Commissioners, most recently in Strasbourg on 25 October, First Vice-President Frans Timmermans and Vice-President Jyrki Katainen will today set out the Commission’s new approach on ecodesign, at an event hosted by the European consumer organisation, BEUC. The College agreed, on the proposal of President Juncker, to take a package-based approach going forward and to ensure that the Commission works in particular on those products where there is a clear benefit for European consumers in terms of energy and cost savings, job creation and revenue benefits for European industry, and energy or resource efficiency which contributes to the fight against climate change and the transition to a circular economy. Implementing the Ecodesign and Energy Labelling Directives can save Europe’s consumers €490 per year on their energy bills and generate revenues of €55 billion for industry. These policies also help to deliver nearly half of the EU’s energy savings targets by 2020, and one quarter of the EU’s emissions reduction targets by 2020. Today the First Vice-President and the Vice-President will present the next steps in the decision-making process and the Commission’s intentions for the next Ecodesign Working Plan, including the potential contribution to our new 2030 targets and the implementation of the COP21 Paris Agreement. Remarks of First Vice-President Timmermans and Vice-President Katainen will be available online here this afternoon. You can find more information about the benefits of ecodesign and energy labelling policies in this factsheet.