GEN – 1156.00. The minutes of the first stakeholder online meeting on the Ecodesign and Energy Labelling Working Plan 2020-2024 held on 10 July have been published on the project website together with ICT Impact Study in August. At the request of the Commission DG JUST, the project website also announces very detailed questionnaires regarding green transition.

Minutes stakeholder webinar

These minutes complement the presentation slides and the notes of this meeting Eurovent provided with GEN – 1139.00. The comments from stakeholders, requested by 21 August, have not yet appeared on the project website.

Up to now there is no indication that the Ecodesign and Energy Labelling Working Plan would be finalised early (in October).

ICT Impact Study

The 292-page ICT impact study report, that fits within the tasks of preparing the Working Plan has been published and is available on https://www.ecodesignworkingplan20-24.eu/documents.

Two chapters in this study are worth mentioning:

12. Building Automation Controls (BACS) – pages 160-176

This refers to and summarises the Lot 38 study on BACS. The assumed energy saving potentials compared to a reference scenario are from 10% to 37% in an optimized scenario for service sector buildings, and up to 25% for residential buildings (where there is no reference scenario).

The simplified payback period would be 5,4 years.

13. Industrial sensors – pages 177-192

This part of the study looks at the potential of sensors when used in electric motors, fans, pumps and compressors.

DG JUST Consumer Empowerment – green transition surveys

The Working Plan consortium, at the request of the Commission informed the registered members about the preparatory study launched by the Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers (DG JUST) regarding the consumers role in the green transition. It is referred to on the Ecodesign and Energy Labelling Working Plan website.

Eurovent has checked the questionnaires addressed to industry associations, manufacturers, and service providers. The questionnaires relate to guarantees, life spans, reparability, availability of spare parts, repair manuals, etc. The questionnaires do not mention products used for heating, ventilation, air conditioning or refrigeration (HVACR).

Eurovent contacted DG Just (Justice and Consumers) who confirmed thar though HVACR is not mentioned in the examples HVACR equipment is covered. DG Just pointed out that the existing general EU consumer protection acquis (e.g. Consumer sales and guarantees Directive, Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, Consumer Rights Directive) applies to all consumer goods, including HVACR equipment. In a future measure, it could be possible to exclude certain sectors (for all or certain measures/legal provisions), if this would be duly justified. A decision on this is still to be taken and is part of the analysis that was requested to by DG JUST to its contractor ICF.

ICF asked to provide, by 11 September, a reply to the industry association questionnaire and to disseminate the manufacturers questionnaire.

Recommended actions

Having the explanations of DG JUST in mind, Eurovent recommends that manufacturers do check the green transition questionnaire and list itself under 1.1.17 other product groups – HVACR. The questionnaire is long and will take time to respond to. By doing so, manufacturers can prepare themselves for possible upcoming changes.

The association will try to respond to the equally complex questionnaire.

Related documents and links

All related documents and articles can be found in the respective sections in the right sidebar.

• Working Plan Project website: https://www.ecodesignworkingplan20-24.eu/documents
• GEN – 1139.00 – Notes first stakeholder meeting Working Plan 2020-2024
• GEN – 1131.00 – Update Working Plan
• BACS preparatory study: https://ec.europa.eu/energy/studies_main/preparatory-studies/ecodesign-preparatory-study-building-automation-and-control-systems_en
• Industry association questionnaire: https://eu5se.voxco.com/SE/87/green_transition_industry_associations/
• Manufacturer questionnaire: https://eu5se.voxco.com/SE/87/green_transition_manufacturer_survey/