. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/EEC/208 
12 August 2008 
 (08-3805) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6. 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
 
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):         
2. Agency responsible:   European Commission 
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web-site 
addresses, if available) of  agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be  indicated if different from above:    
European Commission 
EC-TBT Enquiry Point Fax:  +(32) 2 299 80 43 
E-mail:  ec-tbt@ec.europa.eu
 
Website: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/tbt/  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [  X ], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [ X    ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:         
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in  addition, where applicable):   Electrical and electronic 
household and office equipment. 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Draft Commission 
Regulation implementing Directive 2005/32/EC of  the European Parliament and of the 
Council with regard to ecodesign requirements  for standby and off-mode electric power 
consumption of electrical and electronic household and office equipment (9 pages, in English). 
6. Description of content:   Notice is hereby given that th e European Commission is preparing 
a Regulation which implements the "Ec odesign" Framework Directive 2005/32/EC, 
concerning standby and off-mode of electrical and electronic household and office equipment. The Regulation sets out requirements which are mandatory for electrical and 
electronic household and office equipment placed on the EU market. 
The requirements are set out in two stages: The first stage applies one year after entry into force of the Regulation and sets maximum 
power consumption levels in standby/o ff-mode of 1 Watt/2 Watts, depending on the 
functionality.  
The second stage applies four years after entry into force of the Regulation and sets 
maximum power consumption levels in standby/ off-mode of 0.5 Watt/1 Watt, depending on 
the functionality. Furthermore, products have to provide a standby mode, and/or off mode, G/TBT/N/EEC/208 
Page 2  
 
  and/or another operating mode which fulfils  the power consumption requirement for 
standby or off-mode, and products have to  provide a power management function. 
The conformity assessment procedure to be app lied is described in the draft regulation. 
Compliance with the requirements is ensured and declared by the CE conformity marking 
and a declaration of conformity. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:  
The aim of the Regulation is to ensure the fr ee movement of equipment complying with the 
requirements in the EU, and to reduce the electri city consumption related to standby and off 
mode and the associated CO2 emissions by fostering the application of existing cost effective and non proprietary technology. 
8. Relevant documents:   Technical, environmental and economical analysis ("Lot 6 
preparatory study"), available on www.ecostandby.org ; documents related to stakeholder 
consultation ("Ecodesign Consultation Forum") on  
http://ec.europa.eu/energy/dema nd/legislation/eco_design_en.htm  
9. Proposed date of adoption:   
Proposed date of entry into force:   end 2008 
20 days from publication in the Official Journal of 
the EU (about a month after adoption approx.) 
10. Final date for comments:   60 days from date of notification 
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [    ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:   
European Commission,  
EC-TBT Enquiry Point, 
Fax: + (32) 2 299 80 43 
E-mail: ec-tbt@ec.europa.eu  
 
The text is available on the EC-TBT Website :  http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/tbt/  
and http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2008/tbt/eec/08_2331_00_e.pdf