The European Union has taken the next step in advancing sustainability and energy efficiency by adopting, on 13 June 2024, a new ecodesign framework – Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for the setting of ecodesign requirements for sustainable products, amending Directive (EU) 2020/1828 and Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 and repealing Directive 2009/125/EC (hereinafter – the Ecodesign Regulation).
The Ecodesign Regulation entered into force on 18 July 2024, and over time it will fully replace Ecodesign Directive 2009/125/EC, which already sets energy efficiency requirements for 31 product groups, including computers, fans, washing machines, telephones, refrigeration appliances and light sources. According to the European Commission's calculations, the previous directive made it possible to save 120 billion euro on energy costs in 2021 alone, as well as to reduce by 10% the annual energy consumption of the products to which the ecodesign requirements applied.https://www.em.gov.lv/lv/jaunums/speka-stajas-jauna-ekodizaina-regula
The Ecodesign Regulation provides for transitional arrangements which, following its entry into force, allow implementing measures to be adopted under Ecodesign Directive 2009/125/EC. The Ecodesign Regulation will therefore gradually replace the previous framework by 31 December 2026.
It should be noted that the Ecodesign Regulation has been designed as a horizontal framework under which new requirements can be introduced for products, aimed at reducing the environmental impact of products throughout their life cycle, promoting the circular economy and improving resource efficiency overall. It is important to note that the regulation provides for a substantial expansion of the range of products to which the new requirements may apply. In practice, almost any product or intermediate product may fall within the scope of the Ecodesign Regulation.
On the basis of the Ecodesign Regulation, in March 2025 and thereafter once every three years, the European Commission will issue a working plan setting out the scope of products to which the new sustainable product requirements will apply over time. These requirements, once set, will be specific to each product group and will be discussed in the Ecodesign Forum, in which representatives of the industries concerned will also be able to take part. Based on the outcome of these consultations, the European Commission will issue delegated acts for each specific product group. Following the issue of each delegated act, businesses will be given 18 months to adapt to meeting the requirements.
As a priority, the European Commission plans to bring within the scope such products as iron and steel, aluminium, textiles (in particular clothing and footwear), furniture (including mattresses), tyres, detergents, paints, lubricants and chemicals. The first Ecodesign Regulation requirements for specific product groups are expected to be adopted in 2026 and should accordingly begin to apply from 2027/2028.
The Ecodesign Regulation will thus carry forward the requirements already introduced by the Ecodesign Directive, further improving product energy efficiency standards, the efficiency of the materials used, and product durability, repairability and lifespan.
Another new and significant requirement arising from the Ecodesign Regulation is the introduction of digital product passports. These are intended to provide detailed information on the composition, repairability and recyclability of products. Digital product passports are expected to make information about a particular product more easily accessible both to businesses and to consumers.
A new requirement that could substantially help reduce the amount of waste and promote sustainability is the ban on destroying unsold consumer products. For large companies selling textiles and footwear, this requirement will apply as early as 19 July 2026, while for medium-sized companies selling textiles and footwear it will apply from 19 July 2030. Small and micro-enterprises, meanwhile, are exempt from this requirement.
The new framework opens up opportunities for businesses to improve their competitiveness and innovation, and for consumers to be better informed about environmentally friendly purchasing choices, as well as the opportunity to buy products that consume fewer resources and last longer.
[1] Council of the EU press release, 27 May 2024. https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2024/05/27/green-transition-council-gives-its-final-approval-to-the-ecodesign-regulation/
The new Ecodesign Regulation enters into force | Ministry of Economics (em.gov.lv)