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Energy efficiency improvement – with one of the available options being more efficient end use of electricity – is regarded as contributing substantially to the achievement of greenhouse gas emission targets in the Community. Electricity demand is the fastest growing energy end use category and is projected to grow within the next 20 to 30 years in the absence of any policy action to counteract this trend.

The Ecodesign directive seeks to achieve a high level of protection for the environment by reducing the potential environmental impact of energy-related products, which will ultimately be beneficial to consumers and other end-users. Sustainable development also requires proper consideration of the health, social and economic impact of the measures envisaged. Improving the energy and resource efficiency of products contributes to the security of the energy supply and to the reduction of the demand on natural resources, which are preconditions of sound economic activity and therefore of sustainable development. More information here.

On 21 October 2009, the EU adopted the Directive 2009/125/EC on Ecodesign. Ecodesign aims at reducing the environmental impact of products, including the energy consumption throughout their entire life cycle.

It therefore makes no direct provision for mandatory requirements for specific products. This is done for given energy-related products via implementing measures and voluntary agreements.

The directive 2009/125/EC has been introduced into a Hungarian law by the 65/2011. (IV. 15.) Government regulation.

The implementing measures of the Ecodesign directive are the following:

 Indication by labelling and standard product information of the consumption of energy and other resources by energy-related products

  (LABEL)

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/2013, (EU) 2019/2014, (EU) 2019/2016 and (EU) 2019/2017 (Energy Labelling Regulations) adopted in 2019 impose new labelling obligations for electronic displays, household washing machines, household washer-dryers, refrigerating appliances and household dishwashers. Those Regulations will apply from 1 March 2021.

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 665/2013 supplementing Directive 2010/30 / EU of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to energy labeling of vacuum cleaners has been annulled since the European General Court in Case T-544/13 Dyson v Commission RENV. annulled by judgment of 8 November 2018.

Short description of specialization

The provision of accurate, relevant and comparable information on the specific energy consumption of energy-related products should influence the end-user’s choice in favour of those products which consume or indirectly result in consuming less energy and other essential resources during use, thus prompting manufacturers to take steps to reduce the consumption of energy and other essential resources of the products which they manufacture. It should also, indirectly, encourage the efficient use of these products in order to contribute to the EU’s 20 % energy efficiency target. In the absence of this information, the operation of market forces alone will fail to promote the rational use of energy and other essential resources for these products. More information here.

The new Regulation (EU) 2017/1369 of the European Parliament and of the Council (hereinafter: the Energy Labeling Regulation) serves as a framework for product-specific implementing measures adopted by the European Commission. Like the Energy Labelling Regulation, implementing measures are regulations, so they are fully binding and directly applicable in all EU Member States.

The implementing measures of the Energy Labelling regulation are the following:

 * The regulation is out of scope of the MKEH. 

** The Court annuled Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 665/2013 of 3 May 2013 supplementing Directive 2010/30/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to energy labelling of vacuum cleaners.

The construction of the energy label is common within product category, so the consumers can easily compare the important specifics of energy related products (e.g. water consumption, electricity consumption, performance).

All the information the label contains is based on test standards prescribed in the European Legislation. The label initially classified products from A to G, but in line with the technical level of the age, new distinguishing marks have also been introduced (eg. A +++). You can read more about the changes required for energy labelling from 1 March 2021 for the product groups listed in the news section of our website at this address.

Picture of energy label:

      Before 1 March 2021                                                            From 1 March 2021

Labels for refrigerators classified in energy efficiency classes