COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 643/2009  
of 22 July 2009  
implementing Directive 2005/32/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to 
ecodesign requirements for household refrigerating appliances  
(Text with EEA relevance)  
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,  
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Community,  
Having regard to Directive 2005/32/EC of the European 
Parliament and of the Council of 6 July 2005 establishing a 
framework for the setting of ecodesign requirements for energy- 
using products and amending Council Directive 92/42/EEC and 
Directives 96/57/EC and 2000/55/EC of the European 
Parliament and of the Council (  1 ), and in particular 
Article 15(1) thereof,  
After consulting the Ecodesign Consultation Forum,  
Whereas:  
(1) Directive 96/57/EC of the European Parliament and of 
the Council of 3 September 1996 on energy efficiency 
requirements for household electric refrigerators, freezers 
and combinations thereof (  2 ) lays down provisions 
regarding household refrigerating appliances. The 
requirements laid down in that Directive, which have 
been applicable since 1999, are now outdated.  
(2) Under Directive 2005/32/EC ecodesign requirements 
should be set by the Commission for energy-using 
products representing significant volumes of sales and 
trade, having significant environmental impact and pre- 
senting significant potential for improvement in terms of 
their environmental impact without entailing excessive 
costs.  
(3) Article 16(2), first indent, of Directive 2005/32/EC 
provides that, in accordance with the procedure 
referred to in Article 19(3) and the criteria set out in 
Article 15(2), and after consulting the Ecodesign Consul ­
tation Forum, the Commission shall, as appropriate, 
introduce a new implementing measure for household 
refrigerating appliances repealing Directive 96/57/EC.  
(4) The Commission has carried out a preparatory study to 
analyse the technical, environmental and economic 
aspects of refrigerating appliances typically used in 
households. The study has been developed together with stakeholders and interested parties from the 
Community and third countries, and the results have 
been made publicly available on the Commission’s 
website on EUROPA.  
(5) The energy efficiency of absorption-type refrigerators and 
thermoelectric cooling refrigerating appliances, such as 
mini drink chillers, can be significantly improved. 
Those appliances should therefore be included in this 
Regulation.  
(6) The environmental aspects identified as significant for the 
purposes of this Regulation are energy consumption in 
the use phase and product features designed to ensure 
more environmentally friendly use of household refrig ­
erating appliances by the end-user.  
(7) The preparatory study shows that requirements regarding 
other ecodesign parameters referred to in Annex I, Part 1, 
to Directive 2005/32/EC are not necessary.  
(8) The annual electricity consumption of products subject 
to this Regulation in the Community was estimated to 
have been 122 TWh in 2005, corresponding to 56 
million tonnes of CO  2 equivalent. While the projected 
energy consumption of household refrigerating 
appliances will decrease by 2020, this reduction is 
expected to slow as a result of outdated requirements 
and energy labels. The cost-effective energy-savings 
potential would therefore not be achieved if no further 
measures are introduced to update the existing ecodesign 
requirements.  
(9) The electricity consumption of products subject to this 
Regulation should be made more efficient by applying 
existing non-proprietary cost-effective technologies that 
reduce the combined cost of purchasing and operating 
these products.  
(10) This Regulation should quickly ensure the placing on the 
market of more energy-efficient products subject to this 
Regulation.  
(11) The ecodesign requirements should not affect func ­
tionality from the end-user’s perspective and should not 
negatively affect health, safety or the environment. In 
particular, the benefits of reducing electricity 
consumption during the use phase should more than 
offset any additional environmental impacts during the 
production of products subject to this Regulation.EN 23.7.2009 Official Journal of the European Union L 191/53  
( 1 ) OJ L 191, 22.7.2005, p. 29.  
( 2 ) OJ L 236, 18.9.1996, p. 36.(12) The ecodesign requirements should be introduced 
gradually in order to provide a sufficient timeframe for 
manufacturers to re-design products subject to this Regu ­
lation as appropriate. The timing should be such as to 
avoid negative impacts on the functionalities of 
equipment on the market, and to take into account 
cost impacts for end-users and manufacturers, in 
particular small and medium-sized enterprises, while 
ensuring timely achievement of the objectives of this 
Regulation.  
(13) Conformity assessment and measurements of the relevant 
product parameters should be performed using reliable, 
accurate and reproducible measurement methods, which 
take into account the generally recognised state of the art 
measurement methods including where available, 
harmonised standards adopted by the European standard ­
isation bodies, as listed in Annex I to Directive 98/34/EC 
of the European Parliament and of the Council of 
22 June 1998 laying down a procedure for the 
provision of information in the field of technical 
standards and regulations and of rules on Information 
Society services (  1 ). 
(14) In accordance with Article 8 of Directive 2005/32/EC, 
this Regulation should specify the applicable conformity 
assessment procedures.  
(15) In order to facilitate compliance checks, manufacturers 
should provide information in the technical documen ­
tation referred to in Annexes V and VI to Directive 
2005/32/EC insofar as this information relates to the 
requirements laid down in this Regulation.  
(16) In addition to the legally binding requirements laid down 
in this Regulation, indicative benchmarks for best 
available technologies should be identified to ensure the 
wide availability and accessibility of information on the 
life-cycle environmental performance of products subject 
to this Regulation.  
(17) Directive 96/57/EC should therefore be repealed.  
(18) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in 
accordance with the opinion of the Committee estab ­
lished by Article 19(1) of Directive 2005/32/EC,  
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:  
Article 1  
Subject matter and scope  
1. This Regulation establishes ecodesign requirements for the 
placing on the market of electric mains-operated household 
refrigerating appliances with a storage volume up to 1 500 
litres.  2. This Regulation shall apply to electric mains-operated 
household refrigerating appliances, including those sold for 
non-household use or for the refrigeration of items other 
than foodstuffs.  
It shall also apply to electric mains-operated household refrig ­
erating appliances that can be battery-operated.  
3. This Regulation shall not apply to:  
(a) refrigerating appliances that are primarily powered by 
energy sources other than electricity, such as liquefied 
petroleum gas (LPG), kerosene and bio-diesel fuels;  
(b) battery-operated refrigerating appliances that can be 
connected to the mains through an AC/DC converter, 
purchased separately;  
(c) custom-made refrigerating appliances, made on a one-off 
basis and not equivalent to other refrigerating appliance 
models;  
(d) refrigerating appliances for tertiary sector application where 
the removal of refrigerated foodstuffs is electronically sensed 
and that information can be automatically transmitted 
through a network connection to a remote control system 
for accounting;  
(e) appliances where the primary function is not the storage of 
foodstuffs through refrigeration, such as stand-alone ice- 
makers or chilled drinks dispensers.  
Article 2  
Definitions  
In addition to the definitions set out in Directive 2005/32/EC, 
the following definitions shall apply:  
1. ‘foodstuffs’ means food, ingredients, beverages, including 
wine, and other items primarily intended for consumption 
which require refrigeration at specified temperatures;  
2. ‘household refrigerating appliance’ means an insulated 
cabinet, with one or more compartments, intended for 
refrigerating or freezing foodstuffs, or for the storage of 
refrigerated or frozen foodstuffs for non-professional 
purposes, cooled by one or more energy-consuming 
processes including appliances sold as building kits to be 
assembled by the end-user;  
3. ‘refrigerator’ means a refrigerating appliance intended for 
the preservation of foodstuffs with at least one 
compartment suitable for the storage of fresh food and/or 
beverages, including wine;EN L 191/54 Official Journal of the European Union 23.7.2009  
( 1 ) OJ L 204, 21.7.1998, p. 37.4. ‘compression-type refrigerating appliance’ means a 
refrigerating appliance in which refrigeration is effected 
by means of a motor-driven compressor;  
5. ‘absorption-type refrigerating appliance’ means a 
refrigerating appliance in which refrigeration is effected 
by an absorption process using heat as the energy source;  
6. ‘refrigerator-freezer’ means a refrigerating appliance with at 
least one fresh-food storage compartment and at least one 
other compartment suitable for the freezing of fresh food 
and the storage of frozen foodstuffs under three-star 
storage conditions (the food-freezer compartment);  
7. ‘frozen-food storage cabinet’ means a refrigerating 
appliance with one or more compartments suitable for 
the storage of frozen foodstuffs;  
8. ‘food freezer’ means a refrigerating appliance with one or 
more compartments suitable for freezing foodstuffs with 
temperatures ranging from ambient temperature down to 
– 18 °C, and which is also suitable for the storage of frozen 
foodstuffs under three-star storage conditions; a food 
freezer may also include two-star sections and/or 
compartments within the compartment or cabinet;  
9. ‘wine storage appliance’ means a refrigerating appliance that 
has no compartment other than one or more wine storage 
compartments;  
10. ‘multi-use appliance’ means a refrigerating appliance that 
has no compartment other than one or more multi-use 
compartments;  
11. ‘equivalent refrigerating appliance’ means a model placed 
on the market with the same gross and storage volumes, 
same technical, efficiency and performance characteristics, 
and same compartment types as another refrigerating 
appliance model placed on the market under a different 
commercial code number by the same manufacturer.  
Additional definitions for the purpose of Annexes II to VI are 
set out in Annex I.  
Article 3  
Ecodesign requirements  
The generic ecodesign requirements for household refrigerating 
appliances within the scope of this Regulation are set out in 
Annex II, point 1. The specific ecodesign requirements for 
household refrigerating appliances within the scope of this 
Regulation are set out in Annex II, point 2.  Article 4  
Conformity assessment  
1. The conformity assessment procedure referred to in 
Article 8 of Directive 2005/32/EC shall be the internal design 
control system set out in Annex IV to that Directive or the 
management system set out in Annex V to that Directive.  
2. For the purposes of conformity assessment pursuant to 
Article 8 of Directive 2005/32/EC, the technical documentation 
file shall contain a copy of the product information provided in 
accordance with Annex III, point 2, and the results of the 
calculations set out in Annex IV to this Regulation.  
Where the information included in the technical documentation 
for a particular household refrigerating appliance model has 
been obtained by calculation on the basis of design, or extra ­
polation from other equivalent household refrigerating 
appliances, or both, the documentation shall include details of 
such calculations or extrapolations, or both, and of tests 
undertaken by manufacturers to verify the accuracy of the 
calculations undertaken. In such cases, the technical documen ­
tation shall also include a list of all other equivalent household 
refrigerating appliance models where the information included 
in the technical documentation was obtained on the same basis.  
Article 5  
Verification procedure for market surveillance purposes  
When performing the market surveillance checks referred to in 
Article 3(2) of Directive 2005/32/EC for the requirements set 
out in Annex II to this Regulation, the Member State authorities 
shall apply the verification procedure described in Annex V to 
this Regulation.  
Article 6  
Benchmarks  
The indicative benchmarks for best-performing household 
refrigerating appliances available on the market at the time of 
entry into force of this Regulation are set out in Annex VI.  
Article 7  
Revision  
The Commission shall review this Regulation in the light of 
technological progress no later than five years after its entry 
into force and present the result of this review to the 
Ecodesign Consultation Forum. The review shall in particular 
assess the verification tolerances of Annex V and the possi ­
bilities for removing or reducing the values of the correction 
factors of Annex IV.  
The Commission shall assess the need to adopt specific 
ecodesign requirements for wine storage appliances no later 
than two years after the entry into force of this Regulation.EN 23.7.2009 Official Journal of the European Union L 191/55Article 8  
Repeal  
Directive 96/57/EC is repealed from 1 July 2010.  
Article 9  
Entry into force  
1. This Regulation shall enter into force on the 20th day 
following its publication in the  Official Journal of the European 
Union . 2. The generic ecodesign requirements set out in point 1(1) 
of Annex II shall apply from 1 July 2010.  
The generic ecodesign requirements set out in point 1(2) of 
Annex II shall apply from 1 July 2013.  
The specific ecodesign requirements for the Energy Efficiency 
Index set out in point 2 of Annex II shall apply in accordance 
with the timetable set out in Tables 1 and 2 of Annex II.  
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.  
Done at Brussels, 22 July 2009.  
For the Commission  
Andris PIEBALGS  
Member of the CommissionEN L 191/56 Official Journal of the European Union 23.7.2009ANNEX I  
Definitions applicable for the purposes of Annexes II to VI  
For the purpose of Annexes II to VI, the following definitions shall apply:  
(a) ‘other-type refrigerating appliances’ means a refrigerating appliance in which refrigeration is effected by any other 
technology or process than compression or absorption-types;  
(b) ‘frost-free system’ means a system automatically operated to prevent the permanent formation of frost, where cooling 
is provided by forced air circulation, the evaporator or evaporators are defrosted by an automatic defrost system, and 
the water from defrosting is disposed of automatically;  
(c) ‘frost-free compartment’ means any compartment defrosted by a frost-free system;  
(d) ‘built-in appliance’ means a fixed refrigerating appliance intended to be installed in a cabinet, in a prepared recess in a  
wall or similar location, and requiring furniture finishing;  
(e) ‘refrigerator-cellar’ means a refrigerating appliance where at least one fresh-food storage compartment and one cellar 
compartment, but no frozen-food storage, chill or ice making compartments, are present;  
(f) ‘cellar’ means a refrigerating appliance where only one or more cellar compartments are present;  
(g) ‘refrigerator-chiller’ means a refrigerating appliance where at least a fresh-food storage compartment and a chill 
compartment, but no frozen-food storage compartments, are present;  
(h) ‘compartments’ means any of the compartments listed in points (i) to (p);  
(i) ‘fresh-food storage compartment’ means a compartment designed for the storage of unfrozen foodstuffs, which may 
itself be divided into sub-compartments;  
(j) ‘cellar compartment’ means a compartment intended for the storage of particular foodstuffs or beverages at a 
temperature warmer than that of a fresh-food storage compartment;  
(k) ‘chill compartment’ means a compartment intended specifically for the storage of highly perishable foodstuffs;  
(l) ‘ice-making compartment’ means a low-temperature compartment intended specifically for the freezing and storage 
of ice;  
(m) ‘frozen-food storage compartment’ means a low-temperature compartment intended specifically for the storage of 
frozen foodstuffs and classified according to temperature as follows:  
(i) ‘one-star compartment’: a frozen-food storage compartment in which the temperature is not warmer than – 6 °C;  
(ii) ‘two-star compartment’: a frozen-food storage compartment in which the temperature is not warmer than 
– 12 °C;  
(iii) ‘three-star compartment’: a frozen-food storage compartment in which the temperature is not warmer than 
– 18 °C;  
(iv) ‘food freezer compartment’ (or ‘four-star compartment’): a compartment suitable for freezing at least 4,5 kg of 
foodstuffs per 100 l of storage volume, and in no case less than 2 kg, from ambient temperature down to 
– 18 °C over a period of 24 hours, which is also suitable for the storage of frozen food under three-star storage 
conditions, and may include two-star sections within the compartment;  
(v) ‘0-star compartment’: a frozen-food storage compartment in which the temperature is < 0 °C and which can also 
be used for the freezing and storage of ice but is not intended for the storage of highly perishable foodstuffs;EN 23.7.2009 Official Journal of the European Union L 191/57(n) ‘wine storage compartment’ means a compartment exclusively designed either for short-term wine storage to bring 
wines to the ideal drinking temperature or for long-term wine storage to allow wine to mature, with the following 
features:  
(i) continuous storage temperature, either pre-set or set manually according to the manufacturer’s instructions, in 
the range from + 5 °C to + 20 °C;  
(ii) storage temperature(s) within a variation over time of less than 0,5 K at each declared ambient temperature 
specified by the climate class for household refrigerating appliances;  
(iii) active or passive control of the compartment humidity in the range from 50 % to 80 %;  
(iv) constructed to reduce the transmission of vibration to the compartment, whether from the refrigerator 
compressor or from any external source;  
(o) ‘multi-use compartment’ means a compartment intended for use at two or more of the temperatures of the 
compartment types and capable of being set by the end-user to continuously maintain the operating temperature 
range applicable to each compartment type according to the manufacturer’s instructions; however, where a feature 
can shift temperatures in a compartment to a different operating temperature range for a period of limited duration 
only (such as a fast-freeze facility) the compartment is not a ‘multi-use compartment’ as defined by this Regulation;  
(p) ‘other compartment’ means a compartment, other than a wine storage compartment, intended for the storage of 
particular foodstuffs at a temperature warmer than + 14 °C;  
(q) ‘two-star section’ means part of a food-freezer, a food-freezer compartment, a three-star compartment or a three-star 
frozen-food storage cabinet which does not have its own individual access door or lid and in which the temperature 
is not warmer than – 12 °C;  
(r) ‘chest freezer’, means a food freezer in which the compartment(s) is accessible from the top of the appliance or which 
has both top-opening type and upright type compartments but where the gross volume of the top-opening type 
compartment(s) exceeds 75 % of the total gross volume of the appliance;  
(s) ‘top-opening type’ or ‘chest type’ means a refrigerating appliance with its compartment(s) accessible from the top of 
the appliance;  
(t) ‘upright type’ means a refrigerating appliance with its compartment(s) accessible from the front of the appliance;  
(u) ‘fast freeze’ means a reversible feature to be activated by the end-user according to the manufacturer’s instructions, 
which decreases the storage temperature of the freezer or freezer compartment to achieve a faster freezing of 
unfrozen foodstuffs.EN L 191/58 Official Journal of the European Union 23.7.2009ANNEX II  
Ecodesign requirements for household refrigerating appliances  
1. GENERIC ECODESIGN REQUIREMENTS  
1. From 1 July 2010:  
(a) For wine storage appliances, the following information shall be displayed in the instruction booklet provided by 
manufacturers: ‘ This appliance is intended to be used exclusively for the storage of wine ’. 
(b) For household refrigerating appliances, information shall be provided in the instruction booklet provided by 
manufacturers concerning:  
— the combination of drawers, baskets and shelves that result in the most efficient use of energy for the 
appliance, and  
— how to minimise the energy consumption of the household refrigerating appliance in the use-phase.  
2. From 1 July 2013:  
(a) The fast freezing facility, or any similar function achieved through modification of the thermostat settings, in 
freezers and freezer compartments, shall, once activated by the end-user according to the manufacturer’s 
instructions, automatically revert to the previous normal storage temperature conditions after no more than 
72 hours. This requirement does not apply to refrigerator-freezers with one thermostat and one compressor 
which are equipped with an electromechanical control board.  
(b) Refrigerator-freezers with one thermostat and one compressor which are equipped with an electronic control 
board and can be used in ambient temperatures below + 16 °C according to the manufacturer’s instructions 
shall be such that any winter setting switch or similar function guaranteeing the correct frozen-food storage 
temperature is automatically operated according to the ambient temperature where the appliance is installed.  
(c) Household refrigerating appliances with a storage volume below 10 litres shall automatically enter in an 
operating condition with a power consumption of 0,00 Watt after no more than 1 hour when empty. The 
mere presence of a hard off switch shall not be considered sufficient to fulfil this requirement.  
2. SPECIFIC ECODESIGN REQUIREMENTS  
Household refrigerating appliances within the scope of this Regulation with a storage volume equal to or higher than 
10 litres shall comply with the energy efficiency index limits in Tables 1 and 2.  
The specific ecodesign requirements in Tables 1 and 2 shall not apply to:  
— wine storage appliances, or,  
— absorption-type refrigerating appliances and other-type refrigerating appliances belonging to Categories 4 to 9 as 
set out in Annex IV, point 1.  
The Energy Efficiency Index ( EEI) of household refrigerating appliances is calculated in accordance with the procedure 
described in Annex IV.  
Table 1  
Compression-type refrigerating appliances  
Application date  Energy Efficiency Index ( EEI) 
1 July 2010  EEI  < 55  
1 July 2012  EEI  < 44  
1 July 2014  EEI  < 42EN 23.7.2009 Official Journal of the European Union L 191/59Table 2  
Absorption-type and other-type refrigerating appliances  
Application date  Energy Efficiency Index ( EEI) 
1 July 2010  EEI  < 150  
1 July 2012  EEI  < 125  
1 July 2015  EEI  < 110EN L 191/60 Official Journal of the European Union 23.7.2009ANNEX III  
Measurements  
For the purposes of compliance with the requirements of this Regulation, measurements shall be made using a reliable, 
accurate and reproducible measurement procedure that takes into account the generally recognised state of the art 
measurement methods, including methods set out in documents the reference numbers of which have been published 
for that purpose in the  Official Journal of the European Union . 
1. GENERAL CONDITIONS FOR TESTING  
The following general conditions for testing apply:  
1. if anti-condensation heaters that can be switched on and off by the end-user are provided, they shall be switched on 
and — if adjustable — set at maximum heating;  
2. if ‘through-the-door devices’ (such as ice or chilled water/drinks dispensers) which can be switched on and off by 
the end-user are provided, they shall be switched on during the energy consumption measurement but not 
operated;  
3. for multi-use appliances and compartments, the storage temperature during the measurement of energy 
consumption shall be the nominal temperature of the coldest compartment type as claimed for continuous 
normal use according to the manufacturer’s instructions;  
4. the energy consumption of a refrigerating appliance shall be determined in the coldest configuration, according to 
the manufacturer’s instructions for continuous normal use for any ‘other compartment’ as defined in Annex IV, 
Table 5.  
2. TECHNICAL PARAMETERS  
The following parameters shall be established:  
(a) ‘overall dimensions’, which are measured to the nearest millimetre;  
(b) ‘overall space required in use’, which is measured to the nearest millimetre;  
(c) ‘total gross volumes(s)’, which is measured to the nearest whole number of cubic decimetres or litres;  
(d) ‘storage volume(s) and total storage volume(s)’, which is measured to the nearest whole number of cubic 
decimetres or of litres;  
(e) ‘defrosting type’;  
(f) ‘storage temperature’;  
(g) ‘energy consumption’ which is expressed in kilowatt hours per 24 hours (kWh/24h), to three decimal places;  
(h) ‘temperature rise’;  
(i) ‘freezing capacity’;  
(j) ‘power consumption’, which is measured in Watts rounded to two decimal places; and  
(k) ‘wine storage compartment humidity’, which is expressed as a percentage rounded to the nearest integer.EN 23.7.2009 Official Journal of the European Union L 191/61ANNEX IV  
Method for calculating the Energy Efficiency Index  
1. CLASSIFICATION OF HOUSEHOLD REFRIGERATING APPLIANCES  
Household refrigerating appliances are classified in categories as in Table 1. Each category is defined by the specific compart ment composition as 
specified in Table 2 and is independent of the number of doors and/or drawers.  
Table 1  
Household refrigerating appliances categories  
Category  Designation  
1 Refrigerator with one or more fresh-food storage compartments  
2 Refrigerator-cellar, cellar and wine storage appliances  
3 Refrigerator-chiller and refrigerator with a 0-star compartment  
4 Refrigerator with a 1-star compartment  
5 Refrigerator with a 2-star compartment  
6 Refrigerator with a 3-star compartment  
7 Refrigerator-freezer  
8 Upright freezer  
9 Chest freezer  
10 Multi-use and other refrigerating appliances  
Household refrigerating appliances that cannot be classified in categories 1 to 9 because of compartment temperature are classi fied in Category 10.  
Table 2  
Household refrigerating appliance classification and relevant compartment composition  
Nominal temperature (for the EEI) (°C)  Design 
T + 12  + 12  + 5  0  0  – 6  – 12  – 18  – 18  
Category 
(number)  
Compartment types  Other  Wine 
storage  Cellar  Fresh 
food 
storage  Chill  0-star/Ice 
making  1-star  2-star  3-star  4-star  
Appliance Category  Compartments composition  
REFRIGERATOR WITH ONE OR MORE FRESH-FOOD 
STORAGE COMPARTMENTS  N N  N  Y  N  N  N  N  N  N  1  
REFRIGERATOR-CELLAR, CELLAR AND WINE STORAGE 
APPLIANCE  O O  O  Y  N  N  N  N  N  N  2  
O O  Y  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  
N Y  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  
REFRIGERATOR-CHILLER AND REFRIGERATOR WITH A 
0-STAR COMPARTMENT  O O  O  Y  Y  O  N  N  N  N  3  
O O  O  Y  O  Y  N  N  N  N  
REFRIGERATOR WITH A 1-STAR COMPARTMENT  O  O  O  Y  O  O  Y  N  N  N  4  
REFRIGERATOR WITH A 2-STAR COMPARTMENT  O  O  O  Y  O  O  O  Y  N  N  5  
REFRIGERATOR WITH A 3-STAR COMPARTMENT  O  O  O  Y  O  O  O  O  Y  N  6  
REFRIGERATOR-FREEZER  O  O  O  Y  O  O  O  O  O  Y  7  
UPRIGHT FREEZER  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  O  Y (  a ) Y  8  
CHEST FREEZER  N  N  N  N  N  N  N  O  N  Y  9  
MULTI-USE AND OTHER APPLIANCES  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  O  10  
Notes:  
Y = the compartment is present; 
N = the compartment is not present; 
O = the presence of the compartment is optional; 
( a ) also includes 3-star frozen-food cabinets.EN L 191/62 Official Journal of the European Union 23.7.2009Household refrigerating appliances are classified in one or more climate classes as shown in Table 3  
Table 3  
Climate classes  
Class  Symbol  Ambient average temperature °C  
Extended temperate  SN  + 10 to + 32  
Temperate  N  + 16 to + 32  
Subtropical  ST  + 16 to + 38  
Tropical  T  + 16 to + 43  
The refrigerating appliance shall be capable of maintaining the required storage temperatures in the different compartments sim ultaneously and 
within the permitted temperature deviations (during the defrost cycle) as defined in Table 4 for the different types of househo ld refrigerating 
appliances and for the appropriate climate classes.  
Multi-use appliances and/or compartments shall be capable of maintaining the required storage temperatures of the different com partment types 
where these temperatures can be set by the end-user according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  
Table 4  
Storage temperatures  
Storage temperatures (°C)  
Other 
compartment  Wine storage 
compartment  Cellar 
compartment  Fresh-food storage 
compartment  Chill compartment  One-star 
compartment  Two-star 
compartment/ 
section  Food freezer and 
three-star 
compartment/ 
cabinet  
t om t wma t cm t 1m , t 2m , t 3m , t ma t cc t* t**  t***  
> + 14  + 5 ≤ 
twma ≤ + 20  + 8 ≤ t cm 
≤ + 14  0 ≤ t 1m , t 2m , 
t 3m ≤ + 8;  t ma 
≤ + 4  – 2 ≤ t cc ≤ + 3  ≤ – 6  ≤ – 12 (  a ) ≤ – 18 (  a ) 
Notes:  
t om : storage temperature of the other compartment 
t wma : storage temperature of the wine storage compartment with a variation of 0,5 K 
t cm : storage temperature of the cellar compartment 
t 1m , t 2m , t 3m : storage temperatures of the fresh-food compartment 
t ma : average storage temperature of the fresh-food compartment 
t cc : instantaneous storage temperature of the chill compartment 
t*, t**, t***: maximum temperatures of the frozen-food storage compartments 
storage temperature for the ice-making compartment and for the ‘0-star’ compartment is below 0 °C 
( a ) for frost-free household refrigerating appliances during the defrost cycle, a temperature deviation of no more than 3 K durin g a period of 4 hours or 20 % of the 
duration of the operating cycle, whichever is the shorter, is allowed  
2. CALCULATION OF THE EQUIVALENT VOLUME  
The equivalent volume of a household refrigerating appliance is the sum of the equivalent volumes of all compartments. It is ca lculated in litres and 
rounded to the nearest integer as:  
V eq ¼ Ï X  c¼n 
c¼1 V c Ü ð25 – T  c Þ 
20 Ü FF  c Ð 
Ü CC Ü BIEN 23.7.2009 Official Journal of the European Union L 191/63where:  
— n is the number of compartments  
— V c is the storage volume of the compartment(s)  
— T c is the nominal temperature of the compartment(s) as set out in Table 2  
— ð25 – T  c Þ 
20 is the thermodynamic factor as set in Table 5  
— FF  c , CC and  BI are volume correction factors as set out in Table 6.  
The thermodynamic correction factor  ð25 – T  c Þ 
20 is the temperature difference between the nominal temperature of a compartment  T c (defined in Table 
2) and the ambient temperature under standard test conditions at + 25 °C, expressed as a ratio of the same difference for a fre sh-food compartment 
at + 5 °C.  
The thermodynamic factors for the compartments described in Annex I, points (i) to (p), are set out in Table 5.  
Table 5  
Thermodynamic factors for refrigerating appliance compartments  
Compartment  Nominal temperature  (25 –  T c )/20  
Other compartment  Design temperature  ð25 – T  c Þ 
20 
Cellar compartment/Wine storage compartment  + 12 °C  0,65  
Fresh-food storage compartment  + 5 °C  1,00  
Chill compartment  0 °C  1,25  
Ice-making compartment and 0-star compartment  0 °C  1,25  
One-star compartment  – 6 °C  1,55  
Two-star compartment  – 12 °C  1,85  
Three-star compartment  – 18 °C  2,15  
Food freezer compartment (four-star compartment)  – 18 °C  2,15  
Notes:  
(i) for multi-use compartments, the thermodynamic factor is determined by the nominal temperature as given in Table 2 of the co ldest 
compartment type capable of being set by the end-user and maintained continuously according to the manufacturer’s instructions;  
(ii) for any two-star section (within a freezer) the thermodynamic factor is determined at  T c = – 12 °C;  
(iii) for other compartments the thermodynamic factor is determined by the coldest design temperature capable of being set by t he end-user and 
maintained continuously according to the manufacturer’s instructions.EN L 191/64 Official Journal of the European Union 23.7.2009Table 6  
Value of the correction factors  
Correction factor  Value  Conditions  
FF (Frost-free)  1,2  For frost-free frozen-food storage compartments  
1 Otherwise  
CC (climate class)  1,2  For T class (tropical) appliances  
1,1 For ST class (subtropical) appliances  
1 Otherwise  
BI (built-in)  1,2  For built-in appliances under 58 cm in width  
1 Otherwise  
Notes:  
(i) FF is the volume correction factor for frost-free compartments.  
(ii) CC  is the volume correction factor for a given climate class. If a refrigerating appliance is classified in more than one climate  class, the climate 
class with the highest correction factor is used for the calculation of the equivalent volume.  
(iii) BI is the volume correction factor for built-in appliances.  
3. CALCULATION OF THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY INDEX  
For the calculation of the Energy Efficiency Index ( EEI), of a household refrigerating appliance model, the Annual Energy Consumption of the 
household refrigerating appliance is compared to its Standard Annual Energy Consumption.  
1. The Energy Efficiency Index ( EEI) is calculated and rounded to the first decimal place, as:  
EEI ¼ AE  c 
SAE  c Ü 100  
where:  
— AEC =  Annual Energy Consumption of the household refrigerating appliance  
— SAEC =  Standard Annual Energy Consumption of the household refrigerating appliance.  
2. The Annual Energy Consumption ( AE  C ) is calculated in kWh/year and rounded to two decimal places, as:  
AE  c = E 24h × 365  
where:  
— E 24h is the energy consumption of the household refrigerating appliance in kWh/24h and rounded to three decimal places.  
3. The Standard Annual Energy Consumption ( SAE  C ) is calculated in kWh/year and rounded to two decimal places, as:  
SAE  c = V eq × M + N + CH  
where:  
— V eq is the equivalent volume of the household refrigerating applianceEN 23.7.2009 Official Journal of the European Union L 191/65— CH  is equal to 50 kWh/year for household refrigerating appliances with a chill compartment with a storage volume of at least 15 l itres  
— the  M and  N values are given in Table 7 for each household refrigerating appliance category.  
Table 7  
M and  N values by household refrigerating appliance category  
Category  M  N  
1 0,233  245  
2 0,233  245  
3 0,233  245  
4 0,643  191  
5 0,450  245  
6 0,777  303  
7 0,777  303  
8 0,539  315  
9 0,472  286  
10 (*)  (*)  
Note:  
(*) for Category 10 household refrigerating appliances the  M and  N values depend on the temperature and star rating of the compartment with the lowest storage 
temperature capable of being set by the end-user and maintained continuously according to the manufacturer’s instructions. When  only an ‘other compartment’ as 
defined in Table 2 and Annex I, point (p), is present, the  M and  N values for Category 1 are used. Appliances with three-star compartments or food-freezer 
compartments are considered to be refrigerator-freezers.EN L 191/66 Official Journal of the European Union 23.7.2009ANNEX V  
Verification procedure for market surveillance purposes  
For the purposes of checking conformity with the requirements laid down in Annex II, Member State authorities shall test 
a single household refrigerating appliance. If the measured parameters do not meet the values declared by the manu ­
facturer, in accordance with Article 4(2), within the range defined in Table 1, the measurements shall be carried out on 
three additional household refrigerating appliances. The arithmetic mean of the measured values of these three additional 
household refrigerating appliances shall meet the requirements laid down in Annex II within the range defined in Table 1.  
Otherwise, the model and all other equivalent household refrigerating appliance models shall be considered not to 
comply.  
Table 1  
Measured parameter  Verification tolerances  
Rated gross volume  The measured value shall not be less than the rated value (*) 
by more than 3 % or 1 l, whichever is the greater value.  
Rated storage volume  The measured value shall not be less than the rated value by 
more than 3 % or 1 l, whichever is the greater value. Where 
the volumes of the cellar compartment and fresh food storage 
compartment are adjustable, relative to one another by the 
user, this measurement uncertainty applies when the cellar 
compartment is adjusted to its minimum volume.  
Freezing capacity  The measured value shall not be less than the rated value by 
more than 10 %.  
Energy consumption  The measured value shall not be greater than the rated value 
(E 24h ) by more than 10 %.  
Power consumption of household refrigerating 
appliances with a storage volume below 10 litres  The measured value shall not be greater than the limit value 
laid down in Annex II, point 1(2c), by more than 0,10 W at 
the 95 % confidence level.  
Wine storage appliances  The value measured for the relative humidity shall not exceed 
the nominal range by more than 10 %.  
(*) ‘Rated value’ means a value that is declared by the manufacturer.  
In addition to the procedure set out in Annex III, Member States authorities shall use reliable, accurate and reproducible 
measurement procedures, which take into account the generally recognised state of the art, including methods set out in 
documents the reference numbers of which have been published for that purpose in the  Official Journal of the European 
Union .EN 23.7.2009 Official Journal of the European Union L 191/67ANNEX VI  
Indicative benchmarks for household refrigerating appliances  
At the time of entry into force of this Regulation, the best available technology on the market for household refrigerating 
appliances in terms of their Energy Efficiency Index ( EEI) and noise was identified as follows.  
Refrigerators, compression-type:  
— EEI  = 29,7 and an annual energy consumption of 115 kWh/year for a total storage volume of 300 litres in a fresh- 
food compartment plus a 25-litres chill compartment, and T (tropical) climate class,  
— Noise: 33 dB(A).  
Refrigerators, absorption-type:  
— EEI  = 97,2 and an annual energy consumption of 245 kWh/year for a total storage volume of 28 litres in a fresh-food 
compartment, and N (temperate) climatic class,  
— Noise ≈ 0 dB(A).  
Refrigerator-freezers, compression-type:  
— EEI  = 28,0 and an annual energy consumption of 157 kWh/year for a total storage volume of 255 litres, of which 
236 litres in a fresh-food compartment and 19 litres in a four-star freezer compartment, and T (tropical) climate class,  
— Noise = 33 dB(A).  
Upright freezers, compression-type:  
— EEI  = 29,3 and an annual energy consumption of 172 kWh/year for a total storage volume of 195 litres in a four-star 
freezer compartment, and T (tropical) climate class,  
— Noise = 35 dB(A).  
Chest freezers, compression-type:  
— EEI  = 27,4 and an annual energy consumption of 153 kWh/year for a total storage volume of 223 litres in a four-star 
freezer compartment, and T (tropical) climate class,  
— Noise = 37 dB(A).EN L 191/68 Official Journal of the European Union 23.7.2009