Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on the 'Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and the Council on a Community energy efficiency labelling programme for office and communication technology equipment'
Date: 2000-05-24
Institutions: European Economic and Social Committee
Subjects: EU programme, computer equipment, energy consumption, energy saving, labelling

C 204/18

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Official Journal of the European Communities

18.7.2000

Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on the ‘Proposal for a Regulation of the European
Parliament and the Council on a Community energy efficiency labelling programme for office
and communication technology equipment’

(2000/C 204/05)

On 1 March 2000 the Council of the European Union decided to consult the Economic and Social
Committee, under Article 262 of the Treaty establishing the European Community on the above-
mentioned proposal.

The Section for Transport, Energy, Infrastructure and the Information Society, which was responsible for
preparing the Committee’s work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 4 May 2000. The rapporteur was
Mr Nilsson.

At its 373rd plenary session of 24 and 25 May 2000 (meeting of 24 May) the Committee adopted the
following opinion by 103 votes to one, with one abstention.

1.

Introduction

The reduction of CO2 emissions is one of the most
1.1.
important environmental aims. Back in 1990, in the Com-
munity as it was then, the Council agreed to take certain
measures to stabilise total CO2 emissions at the 1990 level by
2000 at the latest. Under the Kyoto Protocol, the EU gave
an undertaking to further reduce emissions, particularly of
greenhouse gases. The key strategy for attaining this energy
objective is greater energy efficiency with a view to more
efficient, and hence lower, electricity consumption.

1.2.
The Commission has made the promotion of energy
efficiency one of its energy policy objectives. In its Resolution
of 7 December 1998 on energy efficiency in the European
Community, following the White Paper on An energy policy
for the EU, the Council notes that the economic potential for
energy savings in the EU as a whole can be estimated at around
18 % of 1995 energy consumption up to year 2010.

1.3.
In addition, the Council takes the view that energy
savings can be achieved and stimulated through the increased
and extended use of labelling, certification and standardisation,
along with increased use of negotiated and long-term agree-
ments on energy efficiency on a voluntary basis.

1.4.
The proposed Community energy efficiency pro-
gramme for office and communications technology equipment
should be seen as one component in this campaign.

2. The Commission proposal

2.2.
The Commission is proposing a Community regulation
with a view to completing a negotiated agreement with the US
which would give manufacturers access to the ‘Energy Star’
labelling programme, introduced in the US and now firmly
established; the aim of this voluntary labelling system, which
includes technical specifications, is to achieve energy-efficient
office equipment.

2.3.
The Energy Star programme was started in 1993 by
the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and is now a
widely recognised system for labelling copiers, computers,
monitors, printers and fax machines.

2.4. Work on the introduction of a labelling programme
for IT and office equipment dates back to 1994, when the
Commission in consultation with the Member States and
European manufacturers agreed on the advisability of introdu-
cing an efficiency label, and that the Energy Star programme
was the most suitable system for this purpose. In 1996 the
Commission received a mandate from the Council to negotiate
with the US and Japan on this labelling programme. However,
Japan is not a contracting party in this instance as it has its
own agreements in this sector. The negotiations have resulted
in a draft agreement, which was submitted to the Council on
2 July 1999(1).

Several clauses of this draft agreement presuppose the
2.5.
existence of a Community regulation. The main aim is to make
it possible to introduce the Energy Star logo, specify the rules
to govern its application and correct use of the sign or
marking, and provide for procedures for the future revision of
the agreement.

2.6.
The Energy Star programme lays down detailed techni-
cal specifications. For instance, the agreement indicates how
energy-saving features are to be installed on monitors, com-
puters and other office equipment. It specifies standards for

2.1.
The Commission proposal seeks to introduce a volun-
tary labelling programme for information and communication
technology (ICT) equipment so that buyers can identify the
most cost-effective equipment on the market.

(1) COM(1999) 328 final — CNS 99/0135; OJ C 274 E, 28.9.1999,

p. 16.

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energy consumption in stand-by mode and how, for instance,
computers are to be programmed from the start to switch
from full power to a lower stand-by mode when they have not
been in use for a given period. A large number of such
technical specifications are covered by the programme.

particularly to copiers, which are often left on all day at
full power. By programming a stand-by mode, electricity
consumption can be substantially reduced.

2.7. When products satisfy these conditions, firms can be
eligible, either through self-certification or other forms of
certification, to use the Energy Star marking and logo.

2.8.
The Regulation also allows manufacturers to apply
another label complying with more stringent rules, if these
have been approved by the Member States’ authorities. Energy-
efficiency labelling can also be combined with EU-approved
environmental labelling.

The Commission states that the proposed regulation
2.9.
must be able to keep pace with technical progress. The draft
agreement allows for internal revision procedures, which are
to be flexible and applicable speedily.

2.10.
The Commission is responsible for managing the
labelling programme, with the assistance of a special technical
body: the EU Energy Star Board (EUESB). The Member States
are to appoint national bodies, to be represented on the Board.
Activities will be financed under the SAVE programme.

3. General and specific comments

3.1.
The Committee welcomes both the agreement, which
now exists in draft form, and the Community Regulation
which is the subject of this opinion. The Committee supports
the proposal and observes that it has the backing of trade
organisations in the EU.

ICT equipment accounts for a considerable share of
3.2.
electricity consumption within services and the domestic
sector. Total consumption is estimated at 50TWh per year.
The average annual increase in electricity consumption in the
Fifteen is over 2 %. Concurrently, the fastest growth is in the
services sector, where the use of information technologies is
increasing dramatically as a result of IT and other office
equipment. Office equipment electricity consumption is acce-
lerating faster than any other form of energy consumption in
office buildings, and could increase fivefold over the coming
decade unless action is taken.

Under the SAVE programme (1), a variety of measures
3.4.
have been proposed to boost energy efficiency in different
types of electrically-powered equipment. The Committee has
already given its opinion on the 1992 Directive on hot-water
boilers (2), the 1996 Directive on refrigerators and freezers (3),
the voluntary agreement on television sets and video recorders,
and most recently the Directive on energy efficiency require-
ments for ballasts for fluorescent lighting (4).

3.5.
The Committee welcomes the voluntary basis of this
proposal; in its view, voluntary agreements are the best way of
achieving successful results — as it has stressed in its earlier
opinions on energy efficiency.

One of

3.6.
the Commission’s reasons for advocating
voluntary self-certification is because this approach makes it
easier to keep pace with technological progress. Though that
is true, the Commission and the EUESB must keep a very close
eye on technological advances and adjust the agreement,
without hindrance or delay, to take account of technical
innovations that boost energy efficiency. The agreement with
the US, conferring eligibility to use the Energy Star logo,
does involve specific and very detailed specifications. Even a
voluntary system of this nature can impede, or at any rate put
a brake on, more intelligent solutions and yet more efficient
energy-saving systems. It is therefore vital to review and adapt
specifications on a regular basis so as to take full advantage of
the potential of technical progress. In Article 15 the Com-
mission is proposing a review within five years, which would
seem to allow for excessive delays in assessing a rapidly
evolving technology. Accordingly, this Regulation may need
to be reviewed at an early stage, and amended.

Even when equipment is in stand-by mode, the total
3.7.
overall consumption is considerable.
In many cases the
user still needs to activate an energy-saving feature. The
Commission, for instance, states that only 10 % of personal
computers and monitors in private companies have their
energy-saving features enabled (5). It is therefore important also
to encourage more intelligent technology in the context of
revision of the Energy Star programme so that electricity
consumption, which contributes no practical benefits, can be
further reduced.

Energy-efficient equipment can reduce electricity con-
3.3.
sumption by over 60 % merely by installing electricity-saving
features for when equipment is not in use. This applies

(1) ESC Opinion, OJ C 264, 11.9.1996.
(2) OJ C 102, 18.4.1991, p. 46.
(3) OJ C 155, 21.6.1995, p. 18.
(4) OJ C 368, 20.12.1999, p. 11.
(5) COM(1999) 328 or OJ C 274 E, 28.9.1999, p. 16.

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3.8.
Increased use of ‘life cycle analysis’ for the purpose of
office equipment procurement might be a means of motivating
buyers to ascertain more precisely the total cost of office
equipment throughout its expected lifespan.

labels. The point

3.9.
The Commission recommends that energy efficiency
and Eco-labelling should operate in tandem. However, the
Committee would question whether it is possible, or desirable,
to affix several different
is how many
symbols can be used to communicate with the buyer without
destroying, or at any rate eroding, the value of labelling. This
fear is also borne out in the impact assessment accompanying
the Commission’s proposal, where experts and other trade
representatives point to the risk that a proliferation of national
labels could have a negative impact. The Commission should
expand on, and clarify, the possible interaction between Energy
Star and Eco-labelling so as to avoid duplication between very
similar labelling systems.

3.10.
The Commission considers that the proposal has no
financial implications since all costs will be covered by the
SAVE programme, though the Commission itself is to finance
the administrative body: the ‘European Union Energy Star
Board (EUESB). In the Committee’s view, it is vital for the
Commission to draw on the SAVE programme for the purpose
of, as provided in the proposal, co-financing Member States’
action to promote and disseminate information on the pro-
gramme.

Reducing electricity consumption by improving
3.11.
energy-efficient equipment can best be achieved when new
investments are made. The Committee therefore agrees with

Brussels, 24 May 2000.

the Commission that Energy Star labelling should be a
minimum requirement.

that

The Committee would also point out that it is most
3.12.
important
the Commission plays a pioneer role in
developing energy efficiency in all areas. The Committee has
issued several opinions on the SAVE programme and its
impact. The new Fifth Framework Programme for R&D (1) also
provides considerable opportunities for research into energy
savings, which must be fully exploited.

4. Conclusions and summary

4.1.
The Committee regards the Energy Star logo as a
sound and effective system for labelling energy-efficient office
equipment and supports the Commission proposal. In its view,
the proposal’s voluntary approach is the best way of achieving
successful results. The Committee would stress that it must be
possible to adjust the agreement speedily and keep pace with
rapid technological progress. In addition, a review may prove
necessary earlier than in five years’ time. The Committee
advocates the introduction and broader use of
life cycle
analysis also for the purpose of office equipment procurement.
It questions how many different kinds of marking can be used
simultaneously to communicate with the buyer. Lastly, the
Committee focuses attention on the importance of the SAVE
programme and points out that the Fifth Framework Pro-
gramme for R&D provides considerable opportunities for
research into increased energy efficiency.

(1) ESC Opinion, OJ C 407, 28.12.1998.

The President

of the Economic and Social Committee

Beatrice RANGONI MACHIAVELLI