GEN – 820.00. DG Environment has asked a consortium led by Deloitte to study the socio-economic impacts of measures that would improve the reparability of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) as well as on white, brown and grey goods. The study supports the development of the employment potential of green growth within the circular economy.
Limited knowledge on reparability
Today, little is known from literature on the organisation of the repair sectors for these goods in the different EU Member States and the supply and demand sides for repair activities in general. On request of the European Commission (DG Environment), Deloitte is currently carrying out a study for the European Commission (DG Environment) with the objective to support Ecodesign measures to improve reparability of products. The study is being carried out together with the Sustainable Europe Research Institute (SERI) and the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP).
Beyond consumer goods?
This study is a follow-up to a study Deloitte realized with SERI and ICF-GHK in 2016, which focussed on washing machines, dishwashers, vacuum cleaners and coffee machines. This is the first study of this kind and studies on other products are expected to follow.
Online stakeholder survey
The consortium is running an online stakeholder survey, which has been sent to 250 contacts that participated in the 2016 study. The survey consists of 12 multiple-choice questions and should not take you more than 15-20 minutes to answer. The deadline for the survey is 17 September 2017. Please click here to launch the survey.
Questions regarding the study can be addressed to Anton Berwald at aberwald@deloitte.fr.
Recommended Actions
Eurovent did not participate to the 2016 study due to its pure consumer product orientation.
The 2016 study mentions that reparability requirements are found in the regulations on Water Heaters (814/2013), Residential Ventilation (1253/2014), Fans (327/2011), and Electric motors (640/2009). There used to be requirements on the availability of replacement parts under the meanwhile terminated Ecolabel for heat pumps.
Even though the focus still lies with consumer goods, manufacturers of water heaters (and space heaters, heat pumps), residential ventilation, fans and motors are recommended to participate in the survey. This to avoid that conclusions that are appropriate for consumer goods would be applied to these products.
Eurovent has responded to the survey pointing out that HVACR equipment does not qualify as small or large white goods, and that the industry is already subject to certification requirements for persons dealing with heating and cooling equipment be it in the context of energy performance of buildings or refrigerants.
