New draft Ecodesign & Energy Labelling rules on displays

Eight years ago, the latest Ecodesign and Energy Labelling rules on TVs were adopted. The new rules which are currently in the making, will apply to both televisions and displays, making more energy savings up for grabs.

On 6 July, the Commission invited the Ecodesign & Energy Labelling community to discuss the first draft label following the framework revision, as well as amendments to the draft Ecodesign rules presented earlier this year.

The label presented by the Commission has a number of positive points. This includes empty A and B energy classes, which is appropriate for this fast-evolving sector. There is also a reference to update the test loop used to test the televisions. The update should reflect the latest technological developments, and include information on the additional energy consumption when using the High Dynamic Range function. This tackles some of the concerns raised by the STEP report.  

After being challenged by several stakeholders, the Commission also finally committed to launch a dedicated preparatory study on signage displays.

Circular economy

Regarding the reparability and recyclability of these product groups, discussions have covered whether Ecodesign requirements should regulate integrated displays (Coolproducts believes they should), how to formulate a requirement that guarantees easy access to key components for repair and recycling, and the importance of marking plastic parts.

Our March position paper entails several proposals on how the Commission could go even further.

The next steps are the Interservice consultation, notification to the WTO and vote by Member States in 2018.