Article 1 
This Directive shall apply to new electric mains-operated household refrigerators, frozen food storage cabinets, food freezers, and combinations of these as defined in Annex I and referred to hereafter as ‘refrigeration appliances’. Appliances which can also use other energy sources, particularly accumulators, and household refrigeration appliances working on the absorption principle and appliances manufactured on a one-off basis shall be excluded.
Article 2 
1. Member States shall take all necessary measures to ensure that refrigeration appliances covered by this Directive can be placed on the Community market only if the electricity consumption of the appliance in question is less than or equal to the maximum allowable electricity consumption value for its category as calculated according to the procedures defined in Annex I. 2. The manufacturer of a refrigeration appliance covered by this Directive, his authorized representative established in the Community or the person responsible for placing the appliance on the Community market shall be responsible for ensuring that each appliance placed on the market conforms with the requirement referred to in paragraph 1.
Article 3 
1. Member States may not prohibit, restrict or impede the placing on the market in their territory of refrigeration appliances which bear the ‘CE’ marking attesting to their conformity with all the provisions of this Directive. 2. Unless they have evidence to the contrary, Member States shall presume that refrigeration appliances bearing the ‘CE’ marking required under Article 5 comply with all the provisions of this Directive. (a) Where refrigeration appliances are subject to other directives covering other aspects which also provide for affixing of the ‘CE’ marking, the latter shall indicate that the refrigeration appliances in question are also presumed, unless evidence to the contrary exists, to conform to the provisions of those other directives. (b) However, where one or more of those directives allows the manufacturer, during a transitional period, to choose which rules to apply, the ‘CE’ marking shall indicate conformity solely with the provisions of those directives applied by the manufacturer. In that case, the reference numbers of the directives applied, as published in the Official Journal of the European Communities , must be given in the documents, notices or instructions accompanying the refrigeration appliances.
Article 4 
The conformity assessment procedures and the obligations relating to the ‘CE’ marking of refrigeration appliances are laid down in Annex II.
Article 5 
1. When appliances are placed on the market, they must bear the ‘CE’ marking, which shall consist of the initials ‘CE’. The form of the marking to be used is shown in Annex III. The ‘CE’ marking shall be affixed visibly, legibly and indelibly to refrigeration appliances and, where appropriate, to the packaging. 2. The affixing on refrigeration appliances of any markings which are likely to mislead third parties as to the meaning and form of the ‘CE’ marking shall be prohibited. Any other marking may be affixed to the appliances, their packaging, the instruction sheet or other documents, provided that the ‘CE’ marking remains visible and legible.
Article 6 
1. Where a Member State establishes that the ‘CE’ marking has been affixed improperly, the manufacturer or his authorized representative established within the Community shall be obliged to bring the product into conformity and to end the infringement in accordance with conditions imposesd by the Member State. Where neither the manufacturer nor his authorized representative is established within the Community, the person who places the refrigeration appliance on the Community market shall undertake these obligations. 2. Where the product continues not to be in conformity, the Member State shall take all necessary measures pursuant to Article 7 to restrict or prohibit the placing on the market of the product in question or to ensure that it is withdrawn from the market.
Article 7 
1. Any decision taken pursuant to this Directive which contains a restriction on the placing on the market of refrigeration appliances shall state the precise grounds on which it is based. The party concerned shall be notified without delay of the decision and shall be informed at the same time of the possibilities and time limits regarding the legal remedies available to it under the laws in force in the Member State in question. 2. The Member State shall immediately inform the Commission of any such measure, indicating the reasons for its decision. The Commission shall make this information known to the other Member States.
Article 8 
Before the expiry of a period of four years from the adoption of this Directive, the Commission shall make an assessment of the results obtained as compared with those expected. With a view to advancing to a second stage in energy efficiency improvement, the Commission shall then consider, in consultation with the interested parties, the need to lay down a second set of appropriate measures for significantly improving the energy efficiency of household refrigeration appliances. In that case, each energy efficiency measure and the date of its entry into force will be based on energy efficiency levels which can be economically and technically justified in the light of the circumstances at the time. Any other measure judged appropriate to improve the efficiency of household refrigeration appliances shall also be considered.
Article 9 
1. Member States shall adopt and publish the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive within a year of its adoption. They shall immediately inform the Commission thereof. Member States shall apply these provisions on the expiry of a period of three years counting from the date of adoption of this Directive. When Member States adopt these provisions, these shall contain a reference to this Directive or shall be accompanied by such reference at the time of their official publication. The procedure for such reference shall be adopted by Member States. 2. Member States shall communicate to the Commission the texts of the provisions of national law which they adopt in the field covered by this Directive. 3. During a three-year period following adoption of this Directive, Member States shall permit the placing on the market of refrigeration appliances which comply with the same conditions as those which were applied on their territory at the date of adoption of this Directive.
Article 9a 
This Directive constitutes an implementing measure within the meaning of Article 15 of 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 ( 11 ) , with regard to energy efficiency during use, in accordance with that Directive, and may be amended or repealed in accordance with Article 19(3) of Directive 2005/32/EC .
Article 10 
This Directive shall enter into force on the 20th day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities .
Article 11 
This Directive is addressed to the Member States.