Commission Regulation (EC) No 1275/2008 of 17 December 2008 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 (Text with EEA relevance)
Date: 2008-12-17
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: audiovisual equipment, automatic game, clean technology, electrical energy, electrical equipment, electronic equipment, energy consumption, energy saving, household electrical appliance, information technology, product design

18.12.2008

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 339/45

COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1275/2008

of 17 December 2008

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

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

(4)

Having regard to the Treaty
Community,

establishing the European

the European
Having regard to Directive 2005/32/EC of
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
European
Directives 96/57/EC and 2000/55/EC of
Parliament
of
particular
and
Article 15(1) thereof,

the Council (1),

the
in

and

After consulting the Ecodesign Consultation Forum,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

set by the Commission for

Under Directive 2005/32/EC ecodesign requirements
shall be
energy-using
products representing significant volumes of sales and
and
trade, having significant
presenting significant potential
in
impact without entailing
terms of their environmental
excessive costs.

environmental
for

improvement

impact

Article 16(2) second indent of Directive 2005/32/EC
provides that in accordance with the procedure referred
to in Article 19(3)
in
and the
Article 15(2), and after consulting the Consultation
Forum, the Commission shall as appropriate introduce
a separate
reducing standby
losses for a group of products.

implementing measure

set out

criteria

analysed

the
aspects of

The Commission has carried out a preparatory study
technical,
which
and
economic
and off-mode
standby mode
losses. The study has been developed together with stake­
holders and interested parties from the EU and third
countries, and the results have been made publicly
available.

environmental

(1) OJ L 191, 22.7.2005, p. 29.

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

electrical

It has been stated in the preparatory study that standby
functionalities and off-mode losses occur for the majority
of
and electronic household and office
equipment products sold in the Community, while the
annual electricity consumption related to standby func­
tionalities and off-mode losses in the Community has
been estimated to be 47 TWh in 2005, corresponding
to 19 Mt CO2
taking specific
emissions. Without
measures, the consumption is predicted to increase to
49 TWh in 2020. It has been concluded that the elec­
tricity consumption of standby functionalities and off-
mode losses can be significantly reduced.

Improvements of electricity consumption of
standby
functionalities and off-mode losses should be achieved
by applying existing non-proprietary cost-effective tech­
nologies, which lead to a reduction of the combined
expenses for purchasing and operating equipment.

Ecodesign requirements for the power consumption of
standby mode and off mode of electrical and electronic
household and office equipment should be set with a
on
view to
the
standby mode
Community and contributing to the functioning of the
internal market and to improvement of the environmen­
tal performance of the products affected.

requirements
throughout

ecodesign
off mode

harmonising

and

The ecodesign requirements should not have negative
impact on the functionality of the product and should
not affect negatively health, safety and environment. In
the
particular,
electricity
should over-
consumption during
compensate potential additional environmental
impacts
during the production phase of equipment having
standby functionalities and/or off-mode losses.

reducing
the use phase

the benefits of

and

household

corresponding

for
to class B equipment

The application of this Regulation should be limited to
office
to
products
equipment intended for use in the domestic environment,
information technology equipment, corre­
which,
sponds
in EN
55022:2006. The scope should be defined such that
equipment that is not yet available on the market, but
have similar functionalities to those products explicitly
named in this Regulation, are designed to fulfil
the
requirements. When appropriate, an amendment to this
Regulation can complement the list of products.

set out

as

L 339/46

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

18.12.2008

(9)

Operating modes not covered by this Regulation, such as
the ACPI S3 mode of computers, should be considered in
product-specific
to
Directive 2005/32/EC.

implementing measures pursuant

in particular for SMEs and
easy access to information,
very small firms, which further facilitates the integration
of best-design technologies
reducing the energy
consumption of standby and off mode.

for

(10) As a general rule, requirements on standby and off mode
set out
implementing measures
pursuant to Directive 2005/32/EC should not be less
ambitious than those set out in this Regulation.

in product-specific

(17)

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,

(11)

(12)

(13)

(14)

(15)

enter

ideally

In order
to prevent unnecessary losses of energy,
‘0-Watt’
products
should
consumption state when providing no function. The
should be
technical
considered on a product-by-product basis
in the
to Directive
relevant
2005/32/EC.

implementing measure pursuant

and appropriateness

feasibility

into

a

the

two-staged entry into force of

ecodesign
The
requirements should provide an appropriate time-frame
for manufacturers to redesign products as far as standby
functionalities and off-mode losses are concerned. The
timing of the stages should be set in such a way that
negative impacts related to functionalities of equipment
on the market are avoided, and cost impacts for manu­
facturers,
in particular SMEs, are taken into account,
while ensuring timely achievement of policy objectives.
Measurements of
the power consumption should be
performed taking into account the generally recognised
state of the art; manufacturers may apply harmonised
standards in accordance with Article 9 of Directive
2005/32/EC.

This Regulation should increase the market penetration
of technologies yielding improved energy efficiency for
leading to
standby functionalities and off-mode losses,
estimated
2020,
in
compared to a business-as-usual scenario.

35 TWh

savings

energy

of

Pursuant to Article 8(2) of Directive 2005/32/EC, this
Regulation should specify that the applicable conformity
assessment procedures are the internal design control set
out in Annex IV and the management system set out in
Annex V to Directive 2005/32/EC.

In order to facilitate compliance checks, manufacturers
should be requested to provide information in the
technical documentation referred to in Annexes IV and
V to Directive 2005/32/EC on the operating conditions
subject to the definitions of standby/off mode, and the
corresponding power consumption levels.

HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING REGULATION:

Article 1

Subject matter and scope

This Regulation establishes ecodesign requirements related to
standby and off mode electric power consumption. This Regu­
lation applies to electrical and electronic household and office
equipment.

Article 2

Definitions

For the purposes of this Regulation, the definitions set out in
Directive 2005/32/EC shall apply. The following definitions
shall also apply:

1.

‘electrical and electronic household and office equipment’
(hereafter referred to as ‘equipment’), means any energy-
using product which:

(a)

is made commercially available as a single functional unit
and is intended for the end-user;

(b) falls under the list of energy-using products of Annex I;

(c)

is dependent on energy input from the mains power
source in order to work as intended; and

(d) is designed for use with a nominal voltage rating of

250 V or below,

also when marketed for non-household or non-office use;

(16)

Benchmarks for currently available technologies with low
standby and off mode power consumption should be
identified. This helps to ensure wide availability and

2.

‘standby mode(s)’ means a condition where the equipment is
connected to the mains power source, depends on energy
input from the mains power source to work as intended and
provides only the following functions, which may persist for
an indefinite time:

18.12.2008

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 339/47

— reactivation function, or reactivation function and only
an indication of enabled reactivation function, and/or

expected within a distance of 10 m of
concerned.

the apparatus

— information or status display;

3.

‘reactivation function’ means a function facilitating the acti­
including active mode, by remote
vation of other modes,
internal sensor, timer to
switch,
including remote control,
a condition providing additional
including the
functions,
main function;

4.

‘information or status display’ means a continuous function
providing information or
the
equipment on a display, including clocks;

indicating the status of

Article 3

Ecodesign requirements

The ecodesign requirements related to standby and off mode
electric power consumption are set out in Annex II.

Article 4

Conformity assessment

for

assessing

The procedure
referred to in
Article 8(2) of Directive 2005/32/EC shall be the internal
in Annex IV to Directive
design control
2005/32/EC or the management system set out in Annex V
to Directive 2005/32/EC.

system set out

conformity

5.

‘active mode(s)’ means a condition in which the equipment is
connected to the mains power source and at least one of the
main function(s) providing the intended service of
the
equipment has been activated;

Article 5

Verification procedure for market surveillance purposes

Surveillance checks shall be carried out in accordance with the
verification procedure set out in Annex III.

6.

‘off mode’ means a condition in which the equipment is
connected to the mains power source and is not providing
any function; the following shall also be considered as off
mode:

(a) conditions providing only an indication of off-mode

condition;

(b) conditions providing only functionalities intended to
ensure
to
Directive 2004/108/EC of the European Parliament and
of the Council (1);

electromagnetic

compatibility

pursuant

7.

retrieval,

‘information technology equipment’ means any equipment
which has a primary function of either entry, storage,
display,
switching, or
control, of data and of telecommunication messages or a
combination of these functions and may be equipped with
one or more terminal ports typically operated for infor­
mation transfer;

transmission, processing,

Article 6

Benchmarks

The indicative benchmarks for the best-performing products
and technology currently available on the market are identified
in Annex IV.

Article 7

Revision

No later than 6 years after the entry into force of this Regu­
lation the Commission shall review it in the light of techno­
logical progress and present the result of this review to the
Consultation Forum.

Article 8

Entry into force

This Regulation shall enter into force on the 20th day following
its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Point 1 of Annex II shall apply as from one year after the date
referred to in the first paragraph.

8.

‘domestic environment’ means an environment where the
radio and television receivers may be
use of broadcast

(1) OJ L 390, 31.12.2004, p. 24.

Point 2 of Annex II shall apply as from four years after the date
referred to in the first paragraph.

L 339/48

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

18.12.2008

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 17 December 2008.

For the Commission

Andris PIEBALGS
Member of the Commission

18.12.2008

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 339/49

ANNEX I

List of energy-using products covered by this Regulation

1. Household appliances

Washing machines

Clothes dryers

Dish washing machines

Cooking:

Electric ovens

Electric hot plates

Microwave ovens

Toasters

Fryers

Grinders, coffee machines and equipment for opening or sealing containers or packages

Electric knives

Other appliances for cooking and other processing of food, cleaning, and maintenance of clothes

Appliances for hair cutting, hair drying, tooth brushing, shaving, massage and other body care appliances

Scales

2. Information technology equipment intended primarily for use in the domestic environment

3. Consumer equipment

Radio sets

Television sets

Videocameras

Video recorders

Hi-fi recorders

Audio amplifiers

Home theatre systems

Musical instruments

And other equipment for the purpose of recording or reproducing sound or images,
technologies for the distribution of sound and image other than by telecommunications

including signals or other

4. Toys, leisure and sports equipment

Electric trains or car racing sets

Hand-held video game consoles

Sports equipment with electric or electronic components

Other toys, leisure and sport equipment

L 339/50

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

18.12.2008

ANNEX II

Ecodesign requirements

1. One year after this Regulation has come into force:

(a) Power consumption in ‘off mode’:

Power consumption of equipment in any off-mode condition shall not exceed 1,00 W.

(b) Power consumption in ‘standby mode(s)’:

The power consumption of equipment in any condition providing only a reactivation function, or providing only a
reactivation function and a mere indication of enabled reactivation function, shall not exceed 1,00 W.

The power consumption of equipment in any condition providing only information or status display, or providing
only a combination of reactivation function and information or status display, shall not exceed 2,00 W.

(c) Availability of off mode and/or standby mode

Equipment shall, except where this is inappropriate for the intended use, provide off mode and/or standby mode,
and/or another condition which does not exceed the applicable power consumption requirements for off mode
and/or standby mode when the equipment is connected to the mains power source.

2. Four years after this Regulation has come into force:

(a) Power consumption in ‘off mode’:

Power consumption of equipment in any off-mode condition shall not exceed 0,50 W.

(b) Power consumption in ‘standby mode(s)’:

The power consumption of equipment in any condition providing only a reactivation function, or providing only a
reactivation function and a mere indication of enabled reactivation function, shall not exceed 0,50 W.

The power consumption of equipment in any condition providing only information or status display, or providing
only a combination of reactivation function and information or status display shall not exceed 1,00 W.

(c) Availability of off mode and/or standby mode

Equipment shall, except where this is inappropriate for the intended use, provide off mode and/or standby mode,
and/or another condition which does not exceed the applicable power consumption requirements for off mode
and/or standby mode when the equipment is connected to the mains power source.

(d) Power management

When equipment is not providing the main function, or when other energy-using product(s) are not dependent on
its functions, equipment shall, unless inappropriate for the intended use, offer a power management function, or a
similar function, that switches equipment after the shortest possible period of time appropriate for the intended
use of the equipment, automatically into:

— standby mode, or

— off mode, or

— another condition which does not exceed the applicable power consumption requirements for off mode and/or
standby mode when the equipment is connected to the mains power source. The power management function
shall be activated before delivery.

3. Measurements

The power consumption referred to in points 1(a), 1(b), 2(a) and 2(b) shall be established by a reliable, accurate and
reproducible measurement procedure, which takes into account the generally recognised state of the art.

Measurements of power of 0,50 W or greater shall be made with an uncertainty of less than or equal to 2 % at the
95 % confidence level. Measurements of power of less than 0,50 W shall be made with an uncertainty of less than or
equal to 0,01 W at the 95 % confidence level.

18.12.2008

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 339/51

4. Information to be provided by manufacturers

For the purposes of conformity assessment pursuant to Article 4, the technical documentation shall contain the
following elements:

(a)

for each standby and/or off mode:
— the power consumption data in Watts rounded to the second decimal place,
— the measurement method used,
— description of how the appliance mode was selected or programmed,
— sequence of events to reach the mode where the equipment automatically changes modes,
— any notes regarding the operation of the equipment;

(b) test parameters for measurements:

— ambient temperature,
— test voltage in V and frequency in Hz,
— total harmonic distortion of the electricity supply system,
— information and documentation on the instrumentation, set-up and circuits used for electrical testing;

(c)

the characteristics of equipment relevant for assessing conformity with the requirements set out in point 1(c), or
the requirements set out in points 2(c) and/or 2(d), as applicable, including the time taken to automatically reach
standby, or off mode, or another condition which does not exceed the applicable power consumption
requirements for off mode and/or standby mode.

In particular, if applicable, the technical justification shall be provided that the requirements set out in point 1(c),
or the requirements set out in points 2(c) and/or 2(d), are inappropriate for the intended use of equipment.

L 339/52

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

18.12.2008

ANNEX III

Verification procedure

When performing the market surveillance checks referred to in Directive 2005/32/EC, Article 3(2), the authorities of the
Member State shall apply the following verification procedure for the requirements set out in Annex II, points 1(a) and
1(b), or points 2(a) and 2(b), as applicable.

For power consumption requirements larger than 1,00 W, Member State authorities shall test one single unit.

The model shall be considered to comply with the provisions set out in Annex II, points 1(a) and 1(b), or points 2(a) and
2(b), as applicable, to this Regulation if the results for off-mode and standby-mode conditions, as applicable, do not
exceed the limit values by more than 10 %.

Otherwise, three more units shall be tested. The model shall be considered to comply with this Regulation if the average
of the results of the latter three tests for off-mode and/or standby-mode conditions, as applicable, does not exceed the
limit values by more than 10 %.

For power consumption requirements smaller than, or equal to, 1,00 W, Member State authorities shall test one single
unit.

The model shall be considered to comply with the provisions set out in Annex II, points 1(a) and 1(b), or points 2(a) and
2(b), as applicable, to this Regulation if the results for off-mode and/or standby-mode conditions, as applicable, do not
exceed the limit values by more than 0,10 W.

Otherwise, three more units shall be tested. The model shall be considered to comply with this Regulation if the average
of the results of the latter three tests for off-mode and/or standby-mode conditions, as applicable, does not exceed the
limit values by more than 0,10 W.

Otherwise, the model shall be considered not to comply.

ANNEX IV

Benchmarks

The following benchmarks are identified for the purpose of Annex I, Part 3, point 2, to Directive 2005/32/EC:
Off mode: 0 W-0,3 W with hard-off switch on the primary side, depending, inter alia, on the characteristics related to
electromagnetic compatibility pursuant to Directive 2004/108/EC.
Standby — reactivation function: 0,1 W.
Standby — display: simple displays and low power LEDs 0,1 W, larger displays (e.g. for clocks) require more power.