Implementing Measures of the Ecodesign Directive: Potentials and Limitations

The EU Directive on Energy-related Products (2009/125/EC) sets the frame for implementing ecodesign requirements for energy-using and energy-related products. The aim is to contribute to sustainable development by increasing energy efficiency and the level of environmental protection, while at the same time increasing the security of energy supply. The ecodesign requirements of the Directive are put forward in Implementing Measures (IM) based on comprehensive preparatory studies.

This paper focuses on the experience with the IM so far. In January 2011, eleven IM have been adopted. These IM focus on energy efficiency, power consumption, water consumption, information requirements and in some cases quality and performance issues. All IM only take the use phase of the products life time into consideration.

The ambition level of the IM is analysed through a detailed case study of the IM for televisions. It is argued that the IM have not succeeded in setting up sufficient ecodesign requirements, as only one life cycle phase and mainly one environmental impact category is addressed. The result of an analysis of televisions (TVs) on the market shows that new technologies have been developed that reduce power consumption significantly, and these technologies have been assessed not being mature enough to be included in the IM and the preparatory studies. Hence, it is concluded in this article that the process around the Ecodesign Directive has been too slow to be considered a driver for increasing material and energy efficiency of televisions. Furthermore, it can be concluded that technology development has been a more important driver during the past five years.