About: ecodesign directive
Lawmakers back mandatory targets in EU circular economy action plan
Lawmakers in the European Parliament adopted a set of ambitious proposals on the EU’s circular economy action plan on Tuesday (9 February), including calls to introduce mandatory targets to reduce waste.
‘Greenwashing’ is rampant in online stores, consumer authorities find
Many of the "green" claims on companies' websites are exaggerated, false and potentially illegal, according to a study of online shops and traders by the European Union and national consumer protection authorities.
Circular economy erected as ‘number one priority’ of European Green Deal
The circular economy, including new waste and recycling laws, will represent "half" of the EU's effort to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, and will be erected as "the number one priority" of the upcoming European Green Deal, officials have said.
Activists hail new EU energy labelling rules for TVs, fridges
Consumer organisations have applauded an EU proposal to restore the familiar A-G energy labelling scale for goods like fridges, TV screens, and washing machines, saying the current ‘A+’ system is confusing for shoppers.
Time for an eco-design revolution on carpets and mattresses
A lot more must be done to incentivise everyday product recyclability, writes Ward Mosmuller. Bulky products that are not recycled today – like carpets, mattresses and furniture – would be a good place to start, he argues.
Durand: The debate on programmed obsolescence is not happening in the EU
France is breaking new ground with preliminary investigations into programmed obsolescence by Apple and Epson. But at a European level, the debate on product life-cycles is not taking place, Pascal Durand said in an interview with EURACTIV France.
Policymakers set eyes on next wave of EU lighting laws
Almost ten years after the European Union banned incandescent light bulbs, policymakers are turning their attention to less immediate aspects of lighting – ranging from productivity gains in the workplace and classrooms to human well-being and even emotional health.
Beyond ‘toastergate’: Using small things to go big – the smart way
This European Commission famously promised to focus on the big policy picture and avoid petty regulations. But small things can grow into something big, for example on energy efficiency and eco-design rules for electric appliances, writes Ingrid Holmes.
Commission rapped for ‘cheating’ on energy efficiency finance
MEP Claude Turmes (Greens, Luxembourg), sharply criticised the European Commission for disregarding social aspects in energy efficiency and for not providing technical assistance for such projects.
EU’s ban on inefficient toasters delayed to avoid pro-Brexit press attack
The EU has put plans to regulate inefficient kettles and toasters into cold storage amid fears in Brussels that they could galvanise support for the leave campaign in the UK’s 23 June referendum.
Academics probe built-in obsolescence of fridges, notebooks
Researchers at the Öko-Institut and the University of Bonn found that consumers were replacing their fridges, flatscreen TVs and notebooks more and more frequently. But how much of that is down to "built-in obsolescence" is still unclear.
EU introduces new rules to make cooking greener
The sale of energy-wasting ovens and cooking hobs will be banned across the European Union after the latest set of rules to make household appliances more efficient takes effect on Friday, (20 February).
EU could legislate to make cloud and office servers greener
SPECIAL REPORT: European Commission officials are considering whether to regulate to enforce energy efficiency standards on enterprise servers, technology vital for cloud computing.
After ‘Hoovergate’, EU torn over power-saving rules
When word of an EU ban on high-power vacuum cleaners hit Eurosceptic British tabloids in August, "Hoovergate" brought home a dilemma for the bloc that goes well beyond house-proud devotees of deep-pile English carpet.
Energy label review proposes beefed up regime
A comprehensive review of EU energy labelling and Ecodesign measures has called for an overhaul of confusing energy label classes, and tougher market surveillance of eco-cheats, backed up by robust penalties.
Commission ‘buckled under pressure’ for soft energy labels
The European Commission has succumbed to heavy lobbying from the electric heating industry and is set to approve an energy labelling scheme that misrepresents its appliances' true efficiency performance, according to environmental and consumers groups.
Low-key vote on dodgy boilers promises ‘massive’ CO2 cuts
A below-the-radar vote in an obscure EU committee to set new efficiency standards for central heating boilers has sealed energy savings that could equal 10% of Europe’s energy consumption by 2020, green groups say.
Appliance makers press for eco-design legislation
Electronics giants Electrolux, Philips and the Bosch-Siemens-Home Appliances Group said yesterday (June 21) that the European Commission must speed up the ecodesign legislation to help businesses and consumers save billions of euros through more efficient products.
Campaigner: Commission ‘too passive’ on waste, recycling
The European Commission needs to take the implementation of recycling laws more seriously, says green campaigner and waste policy expert Stéphane Arditi in an interview with EURACTIV.
Commission ‘passive’ on waste, Ecodesign enforcement
The European Commission needs to take the implementation of recycling and Ecodesign laws more seriously, said green campaigner and waste policy expert Stéphane Arditi.
Energy expert: Not enough staff for eco-design directive
The European Commission lacks the staff to fulfill the eco-design directive, despite the huge potential it has for achieving significant carbon dioxide reductions, says Edouard Toulouse.