EN Official Journal of the European Union L 115/35

COMMISSION DECISION

of 11 April 2005

establishing ecological criteria and the related assessment and verification requirements for the award of the Community eco-label to portable computers

(notified under document number C(2005) 1027)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2005/343/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,

Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 1980/2000 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 July 2000 on a revised Community eco-label award scheme (1), and in particular the second subparagraph of Article 6(1) thereof,

After consulting the European Union Eco-Labelling Board,

Whereas:

(1) Pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1980/2000, the Community eco-label may be awarded to a product possessing characteristics which enable it to contribute significantly to improvements in relation to key environmental aspects.

(2) Regulation (EC) No 1980/2000 provides that specific eco-label criteria, drawn up on the basis of the criteria drafted by the European Union Eco-Labelling Board, are to be established according to product groups.

(3) It also provides that the review of eco-label criteria, as well as of the assessment and verification requirements related to those criteria, is to take place in good time before the end of the period of validity of the criteria specified for the product group concerned.

(4) It is appropriate, in order to reflect developments on the market, to revise the ecological criteria established by Commission Decision 2001/687/EC of 28 August 2001 establishing ecological criteria for the award of the Community eco‐label to portable computers (2).

(5) Furthermore, in order to specify that devices equipped with a touch screen keyboard are to be included in the product group and that products whose primary use is not computing are to be excluded, it is necessary to modify the definition of the product group laid down in that Decision.

(6) In the interests of clarity, Decision 2001/687/EC should therefore be replaced.

(7) The revised ecological criteria, and the related assessment and verification requirements, should be valid for a period of four years.

(8) It is appropriate to allow a transitional period of not more than 12 months for producers whose products have been awarded the eco-label before

(9)(10) the date of notification of this Decision or who have applied for such an award before that date, so that they have sufficient time to adapt their products to comply with the revised criteria and requirements.The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee instituted by Article 17 of Regulation (EC) No 1980/2000,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The product group ‘portable computers’ shall comprise all computers which can be used in multiple locations, which consist of a system unit, display and keyboard combined in a single case, which are intended to be easily transported between locations and which can be used with an internal battery.

That product group shall also cover devices equipped with a touch screen keyboard.

The product group shall not cover products whose primary use is not computing.

Article 2

In order to be awarded the Community eco-label, for portable computers, under Regulation (EC) No 1980/2000, an appliance must fall within the product group ‘portable computers’ and must comply with the ecological criteria set out in the Annex to this Decision.

Article 3

The ecological criteria for the product group ‘portable computers’, as well as the related assessment and verification requirements, shall be valid until 30 April 2009.

Article 4

For administrative purposes, the code number assigned to the product group ‘portable computers’ shall be ‘018’.

Article 5

Decision 2001/687/EC is repealed.

Article 6

Eco-labels awarded before the date of notification of this Decision in respect of products falling within the product group ‘portable computers’ may continue to be used until 31 March 2006.

Where applications have been submitted before the date of notification of this Decision for award of the eco-label in respect of products falling within the product group ‘portable computers’, those products may be awarded the eco-label under the conditions laid down in Decision 2001/687/EC. In such cases the eco-label may be used until 31 March 2006.

Article 7

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 11 April 2005. For the Commission Stavros DIMAS Member of the Commission

(1) OJ L 237, 21.9.2000, p. 1.

(2) OJ L 242, 12.9.2001, p. 11.