2006/1005/EC: Council Decision of 18 December 2006 concerning conclusion of the Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and the European Community on the coordination of energy-efficiency labelling programmes for office equipment
Date: 2006-12-18
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: United States, agreement (EU), eco-label, energy consumption, energy saving, labelling, office equipment, ratification of an agreement

L 381/24

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

28.12.2006

II

(Acts whose publication is not obligatory)

COUNCIL

COUNCIL DECISION

of 18 December 2006

concerning conclusion of the Agreement between the Government of the United States of America
and the European Community on the coordination of energy-efficiency labelling programmes for
office equipment

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

(4)

(2006/1005/EC)

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Commu-
in conjunction with
nity, and in particular Article 133,
Article 300(2),
and
sentence,
first
subparagraph,
first
Article 300(4) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

The Council Decision authorising the Commission to open
negotiations for an Agreement between the Government
of the United States of America and the European Com-
munity on the coordination of energy-efficiency labelling
programmes
for office equipment was adopted on
5 May 2006.

The negotiations have been concluded and the Agreement
between the Government of the United States of America
and the European Community on the coordination of
energy-efficiency labelling programmes for office equip-
ment (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Agreement’) was ini-
tialled by both Parties on 7 June 2006.

The market for office equipment is evolving rapidly. It is
essential to reassess frequently the potential for maximis-
ing energy savings and environmental benefits by stimu-
lating the supply of and demand for energy-efficient
products. It is therefore necessary to empower the Com-
mission, assisted by a Community advisory board made
up of national representatives and of all interested parties,
to reassess and upgrade the Common Specifications for
office equipment set out in Annex C to the Agreement
regularly and to take certain decisions for implementa-
tion of the Agreement, such as the layout of the Energy
Star logo and the guidelines for use of the logo contained
in Annexes A and B respectively.

(5)

(6)

Implementation of the Agreement should be reviewed by
the Technical Commission established by the Agreement.

Each party to the Agreement should designate a manage-
ment entity and the procedure for amending the Agree-
ment should be defined.

(7)

The Agreement should be approved,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

(3)

The appropriate internal Community procedures should
the
be established to ensure proper operation of
Agreement.

The Agreement between the Government of the United States of
America and the European Community on the coordination of
energy-efficiency labelling programmes for office equipment,
is hereby approved on behalf of the
including its Annexes,
Community.

28.12.2006

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 381/25

The text of the Agreement and the Annexes thereto are attached
to this Decision.

Article 2

The President of the Council is hereby authorised to designate
the person(s) empowered to sign the Agreement in order to bind
the Community.

Article 3

The President of the Council shall, on behalf of the Community,
give the notification in writing provided for in Article XIV(1) of
the Agreement.

2. With a view to preparing the position of the Community
with regard to amendments to the list of office equipment in
Annex C to the Agreement, the Commission shall take into
account any opinion given by the European Community Energy
Star Board.

3.
The position of the Community with regard to decisions
to be taken by the management entities shall be determined, with
regard to amendments of Annex A (Energy Star name and com-
mon logo), Annex B (Guidelines for proper use of the Energy
Star name and common logo), and Annex C (Common Specifi-
cations) to the Agreement, by the Commission, after consulta-
tion of the European Community Energy Star Board.

In all other cases, the position of the Community with
4.
regard to decisions to be taken by the Parties to the Agreement
shall be determined by the Council, acting on a proposal from
the Commission in accordance with Article 300 of the Treaty.

Article 4

Article 5

1.
The Commission shall represent the Community in the
Technical Commission provided for in Article VII of the Agree-
ment, after having heard the views of the members of the Euro-
pean Community Energy Star Board established by Regulation
(EC) No 2422/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Coun-
cil (1). After consulting the European Community Energy Star
Board, the Commission shall carry out the tasks referred to in
Articles VI(5), VII(1) and (2), and IX(4) of the Agreement.

This Decision shall be published in the Official Journal of the Euro-
pean Union.

Done at Brussels, 18 December 2006.

For the Council
The President
J.-E. ENESTAM

(1) OJ L 332, 15.2.2001, p. 1.