Eco Design and Audit

Ecodesign requirements — welding equipment

It sets out ecodesign* requirements for the placing on the market or the putting into service of electrical mains-operated welding equipment.

KEY POINTS

It lists the welding processes to which the regulation applies and those to which it does not.

The ecodesign requirements are set out in Annex II, and include:
minimum efficiency levels for the power source used;
maximum ‘idle state’ (similar to standby) power consumption;
non-energy-related requirements to make it easier to repair, disassemble, prolong the useful lifetime of and reuse welding equipment and components, including
making spare parts available to professional repairers for a minimum period of 10 years
making specified repair and maintenance information freely available to professional repairers via the website of the manufacturer of the welding equipment, the importer or authorised representative.

The regulation sets out the conformity assessment procedure, and in Annex III the measurement methods and calculations to be followed based, where available, on harmonised standards adopted by the European standardisation organisations.
National authorities must apply the verification procedures laid down in Annex IV when carrying out market surveillance checks.

Manufacturers, importers or their authorised representatives must not offer for sale products which can detect when they are being tested and change their performance accordingly.
Annex V sets out indicative benchmarks for the best-performing products and techniques available on the market in terms of power source efficiency and maximum idle state power consumption.
The European Commission must review the regulation in the light of technological progress and present its results, including, if appropriate, a draft revision proposal no later than 14 November 2024.

BACKGROUND

For more information, see:

Welding equipment: Ecodesign requirements (European Commission)
The new ecodesign measures explained (European Commission)
About the energy label and ecodesign (European Commission).

Ecodesign: Policy to improve, through better design, products’ environmental performance throughout their life cycle, especially their energy efficiency.

DOCUMENTS

Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/1784 of 1 October 2019 laying down ecodesign requirements for welding equipment pursuant to Directive 2009/125/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 272, 25.10.2019, pp. 121-135)It applies from 1 January 2021.

Communication from the Commission — Ecodesign Working Plan 2016-2019 (COM(2016) 773 final, 30.11.2016)

Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions — Closing the loop — An EU action plan for the Circular Economy (COM(2015) 614 final, 2.12.2015)

Regulation (EU) No 1025/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 on European standardisation, amending Council Directives 89/686/EEC and 93/15/EEC and Directives 94/9/EC, 94/25/EC, 95/16/EC, 97/23/EC, 98/34/EC, 2004/22/EC, 2007/23/EC, 2009/23/EC and 2009/105/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and repealing Council Decision 87/95/EEC and Decision No 1673/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 316, 14.11.2012, pp. 12-33)

Successive amendments to Regulation (EU) No 1025/2012 have been incorporated into the original document. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

Directive 2012/19/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2012 on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) (OJ L 197, 24.7.2012, pp. 38-71)

Directive 2009/125/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 establishing a framework for the setting of ecodesign requirements for energy-related products (OJ L 285, 31.10.2009, pp. 10-35)

See consolidated version.

Ecodesign requirements — external power supplies

Regulation (EU) 2019/1782 — laying down ecodesign requirements for external power supplies

It establishes ecodesign* requirements for the placing on the market or putting into service of external power supplies*.

KEY POINTS

The regulation does not apply to:

voltage converters;
uniterruptible power supplies;
battery chargers without power supply function;
lighting converters;
external power supplies for medical devices;
active power over Ethernet injectors;
docking stations for autonomous appliances;
external power supplies placed on the market before 1 April 2025 solely as a service part or spare part for replacing an identical external power supply placed on the market before 1 April 2020.
The ecodesign requirements are set out Annex II.
The regulation sets out the conformity assessment procedure and in Annex II, point 3, the measurement method and calculations that must be used.

National authorities must apply the verification procedures laid down in Annex III when carrying out market surveillance checks.
Annex IV sets out indicative benchmarks for the best-performing products and technologies available on the market.
The European Commission must review this regulation in the light of technological progress and present its results, including, if appropriate, a draft revision proposal, by 14 November 2022.

It applies from 1 April 2020 and repeals Regulation (EC) No 278/2009 on that date.

BACKGROUND

For more information see:

External power supplies — Ecodesign requirements (European Commission)
The new ecodesign measures explained (European Commission)
About the energy label and ecodesign — Energy savings (European Commission).
Ecodesign: Policy to improve, through better design, products’ environmental performance throughout their life cycle, especially their energy efficiency.

External power supplies: a device meeting each of these criteria:
designed to convert alternating current (AC) power input from the mains power source input into one or more lower voltage direct current (DC) or AC outputs;
used with one or more separate devices that constitute the primary load;
contained in a physical enclosure separate from the device or devices that constitute the primary load;
connected to the device or devices that constitute the primary load with removable or hard-wired male/female electrical connections, cables, cords or other wirings;
nameplate output power not exceeding 250 watts; and
used with electrical and electronic household and office equipment included in Annex I.

DOCUMENTS

Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/1782 of 1 October 2019 laying down ecodesign requirements for external power supplies pursuant to Directive 2009/125/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and repealing Commission Regulation (EC) No 278/2009 (OJ L 272, 25.10.2019, pp. 95-106)

Successive amendments to Directive 2009/125/EC have been incorporated into the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

Ecodesign requirements — power transformers

Regulation (EU) No 548/2014 with regard to small, medium and large power transformers

Regulation (EU) No 548/2014 sets out ecodesign* requirements for placing on the market or putting into service power transformers with a minimum power rating of 1 kVA used in 50 Hz electricity transmission and distribution networks or for industrial applications.
Experience in the directive’s implementation revealed that there were national deviations in standard voltages in electricity distribution grids in certain EU countries. These deviations justified changing the threshold voltage levels in the categorisation of transformers and the applicable minimum energy performance requirements. Regulation (EU) 2019/1783 therefore amends Regulation (EU) No 548/2014.

KEY POINTS

The regulation applies to transformers purchased after 11 June 2014.

Medium* and large transformers*, regardless of when put on the market or into service, must be reassessed for compliance and conformity with the regulation if:
the core or part of the core has been replaced; or
one or more of the complete windings has been replaced.

Transformers designed for a number of specific purposes are excluded from the regulation including those to be:
directly connected to a furnace;
installed on fixed or floating offshore platforms, offshore wind turbines or on board ships and all kinds of vessels;
used in arc-welding equipment or resistance-welding equipment.

The ecodesign requirements are set out in the annexes to the regulation.
The regulation sets out the conformity assessment procedure.

Changes introduced under Regulation (EU) 2019/1783

These changes include:

if threshold voltages in electricity distribution networks deviate from the standard ones across the EU, EU countries must notify the European Commission accordingly, so that a public notification can be made for the correct interpretation of the various tables in Annex I to the regulation (ecodesign requirements);
the manufacturer, importer or authorised representative must not put on the market any products that can detect when they are being tested and change their performance accordingly;
to make verification testing easier, market surveillance authorities are permitted to test, or witness the testing of, larger transformers at premises such as those of the manufacturer;
the Commission will review the regulation and present the results no later than 1 July 2023.

BACKGROUND

Directive 2009/125/EC establishes a framework to set ecodesign requirements for energy-related products. The Commission must set these for products which are widely sold and traded in the EU and have a significant environmental impact.Regulation (EU) No 548/2014 has applied since 11 June 2014. The changes introduced by amending Regulation (EU) 2019/1783 have applied since 14 November 2019.

Ecodesign: Policy to improve, through better design, products’ environmental performance throughout their life cycle, especially their energy efficiency.

Medium power transformers: a power transformer with all windings having rated power lower than or equal to 3 150 kVA, and highest voltage for equipment greater than 1.1 kV and lower than or equal to 36 kV.
Large power transformers: a power transformer with at least one winding having either rated power greater than 3 150 kVA or highest voltage for equipment greater than 36 kV.

DOCUMENTS

Commission Regulation (EU) No 548/2014 of 21 May 2014 on implementing Directive 2009/125/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to small, medium and large power transformers (OJ L 152, 22.5.2014, pp. 1-15)

Successive amendments to Regulation (EU) No 548/2014 have been incorporated into the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

Commission communication in the framework of the implementation of Commission Regulation (EU) No 548/2014 on implementing Directive 2009/125/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to small, medium and large power transformers (Publication of titles and references of harmonised standards under Union harmonisation legislation) (OJ C 416, 11.11.2016, pp. 12-13)

Ecodesign requirements — electric motors and variable speed drives

Regulation (EU) 2019/1781 laying down ecodesign requirements for electric motors and variable speed drives

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE REGULATION?

The regulation establishes ecodesign* requirements for the placing on the market or putting into service of electric motors* and variable speed drives (VSD)*, including where they are integrated in other products.

KEY POINTS

The regulation applies to:

induction electric motors without brushes, commutators, slip rings or electrical connections to the rotor, rated for operation on a 50 Hz, 60 Hz or 50/60 Hz sinusoidal voltage, that
have 2, 4, 6 or 8 poles
have a rated voltage above 50 V and up to and including 1,000 V
have a rated power output from 0.12 kW up to and including 1,000 kW
are rated on the basis of continuous duty operation and
are rated for direct online operation;
variable speed drives with 3-phase input that
are rated for operating with a motor referred to above, within the 0.12 kW-1,000 kW motor rated output range
have a rated voltage above 100 V and up to and including 1,000 V AC and
have only 1 AC voltage output.

Some types of equipment designed to operate in certain conditions are exempt from some of the energy efficiency and product information requirements, such as:

motors or VSDs completely integrated into a product (for example into a gear, pump, fan or compressor) and whose energy performance cannot be tested independently;
motors specifically designed to operate exclusively at high altitudes or in extreme temperatures;
motors specifically designed and specified to operate wholly immersed in a liquid;
motors or VSDs specifically qualified for the safety of nuclear installations;
explosion-protected motors specifically designed and certified for mining;
motors in cordless or battery-operated equipment;
motors in hand-held equipment whose weight is supported by hand during operation;
motors in hand-guided mobile equipment moved while in operation;
motors placed on the market before 1 July 2029 as substitutes for identical motors integrated in products placed on the market before 1 July 2022, and specifically marketed as such;
motors designed specifically for the traction of electric vehicles.

The regulation:

sets out a timetable in Annex I for the introduction of ecodesign requirements (initially 1 July 2021, with further requirements being introduced from 1 July 2022 and from 1 July 2023). These cover
energy efficiency of electrical motors
product information requirements for electrical motors
efficiency and product information requirements for variable speed drives;
sets out the conformity assessment procedure, and in Annex II the measurement methods and calculations that must be followed.

National authorities must apply the verification procedures laid down in Annex III when carrying out market surveillance checks.

Annex IV sets out indicative benchmarks based on the best available technology for motors and variable speed drives for the environmental aspects considered significant and quantifiable. For motors, the IE4 level was identified as the best available technology.

The Commission must review the regulation in the light of technological progress and present the results of this assessment including, if appropriate, a draft revision proposal, to the Consultation Forum no later than 14 November 2023.

The regulation amends Regulation (EC) No 641/2009 and repeals Regulation (EC) No 640/2009.It applies from 1 July 2021.

BACKGROUND

The WEEE Directive sets requirements on recovery and recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) to reduce the negative environmental effects of generating and managing WEEE, and of the use of resources.

Ecodesign: Policy to improve, through better design, products’ environmental performance throughout their life cycle, especially their energy efficiency.

Electric motor: a device that converts electrical input power into mechanical output power in the form of a rotation with a rotational speed and torque that depends on factors including the frequency of the supply voltage and number of poles of the motor.
Variable speed drive (VSD): an electronic power converter that continuously adapts the electrical power supplied to a single motor to control the motor’s mechanical power output according to the torque-speed characteristic of the load driven by the motor, by adjusting the power supply to a variable frequency and voltage supplied to the motor. It includes all electronics connected between the mains and the motor including extensions such as protection devices, transformers and auxiliaries.

DOCUMENTS

Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/1781 of 1 October 2019 laying down ecodesign requirements for electric motors and variable speed drives pursuant to Directive 2009/125/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, amending Regulation (EC) No 641/2009 with regard to ecodesign requirements for glandless standalone circulators and glandless circulators integrated in products and repealing Commission Regulation (EC) No 640/2009 (OJ L 272, 25.10.2019, pp. 74-94)

Successive amendments to Directive 2009/125/EC have been incorporated into the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

Commission Regulation (EC) No 641/2009 of 22 July 2009 implementing Directive 2005/32/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to ecodesign requirements for glandless standalone circulators and glandless circulators integrated in products (OJ L 191, 23.7.2009, pp. 35-41)

Commission Communication in the framework of the implementation of the Commission Regulation (EC) No 640/2009 implementing Directive 2005/32/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to ecodesign requirements for electric motors (Publication of titles and references of harmonised standards under the directive) (OJ C 394, 20.12.2012, pp. 20-21)

Better environmental performance: European eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS)

The European Union eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS) aims to encourage companies and other organisations to continually improve their environmental performance. It is open to any organisation inside or outside the EU, spans all economic and service sectors and is applicable worldwide.

Voluntary participation by organisations in a Community eco-management and audit

Regulation (EC) No 1221/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2009 on the voluntary participation by organisations in a Community eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS), repealing Regulation (EC) No 761/2001 and Commission Decisions 2001/681/EC and 2006/193/EC.

It establishes the voluntary EMAS. This is the premium environmental management tool for users to evaluate, report and improve their environmental performance.

KEY POINTS

To receive EMAS registration, an organisation must:

conduct a review of all the environmental aspects of its activities, products and services;
adopt an environmental policy containing a commitment to comply with all the relevant legislation and to achieve continuous improvements;
develop a programme with information on specific environmental objectives and targets;
establish an effective management system to achieve its environmental policy and ensure continuous improvement;
carry out an environmental audit assessing the management system in place and overall conformity with its policy and programme;
provide an environmental statement of its performance, set against its objectives, and the future steps to be taken.

The environmental review, management system, audit procedure and statement must be approved by an accredited environmental verifier.

The validated statement is registered and made publicly available.

An organisation successfully completing all these stages may use the EMAS logo on its letterheads, products, activities and services to demonstrate its commitment to improving its environmental performance.

BACKGROUND

EMAS helps give registered organisations enhanced performance, cost savings and a positive public image. By mid 2015, over 4,000 organisations and approximately 7,500 sites were EMAS registered worldwide. They included multinationals, smaller companies and public authorities.

The European Commission employs EMAS to reduce the environmental impact of its own activities, particularly by using natural resources more efficiently, reducing CO2 emissions, preventing, recycling and reusing waste, applying green public procurement and promoting sustainable mobility.

For more information, see the section on EMAS on the European Commission’s website.

REFERENCES

Regulation (EC) No 1221/2009

Regulation (EU) No 517/2013

Decision 2013/131/EU of the Commission of 4 March 2013 establishing the user’s guide setting out the steps needed to participate in EMAS, under Regulation (EC) No 1221/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the voluntary participation by organisations in a Community eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS) (OJ L 76, 19.3.2013, pp. 1-39).