Negotiations for energy and resource efficient products including TVs and fridges will go ahead despite delays, the European Commission confirmed early October. Consumers could soon benefit from mammoth savings, but only if EU governments will give them the green light by the end of the year.
Last September, the European Commission seemed ready to scrap long-planned Ecodesign and Energy Labelling requirements for several products, according to anonymous sources within the EU executive. President Juncker and Secretary General Selmayr were threatening to halt product policy development behind closed door, the sources said.
But the negotiations will go ahead following pressure from MEPs, environmental and consumer groups, as well as some progressive countries and businesses. The proposals are safe for now, and if everything goes according to plan they should be voted on by EU governments before the end of the year – though there are still uncertainties on the exact number of measures to be voted on.
Rarely has any EU environmental law brought together so many different players united in the quest to cut waste and energy bills. That’s why any further delay in its implementation cannot be justified.
