Directive 2005/32/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (repealed)Show full title

ANNEX I U.K. Method for setting generic Eco-design requirements(referred to in Article 15)

Generic ecodesign requirements aim at improving the environmental performance of EuPs, focusing on significant environmental aspects thereof without setting limit values. The method according to this Annex will be applied when it is not appropriate to set limit values for the product group under examination. The Commission shall, when preparing a draft implementing measure to be submitted to the Committee referred to in Article 19, identify significant environmental aspects which shall be specified in the implementing measure.

In preparing implementing measures laying down generic ecodesign requirements pursuant to Article 15 the Commission will identify, as appropriate to the EuP covered by the implementing measure, the relevant ecodesign parameters from among those listed in Part 1, the information supply requirements from among those listed in Part 2 and the requirements for the manufacturer listed in Part 3.

Part 1. Ecodesign parameters for EuPs U.K.

1.1. In so far as they relate to product design, significant environmental aspects are identified with reference to the following phases of the life cycle of the product: U.K.

(a)

raw material selection and use;

(b)

manufacturing;

(c)

packaging, transport, and distribution;

(d)

installation and maintenance;

(e)

use;

(f)

end-of-life, meaning the state of an EuP having reached the end of its first use until its final disposal.

1.2. For each phase, the following environmental aspects are to be assessed where relevant: U.K.

(a)

predicted consumption of materials, of energy and of other resources such as fresh water;

(b)

anticipated emissions to air, water or soil;

(c)

anticipated pollution through physical effects such as noise, vibration, radiation, electromagnetic fields;

(d)

expected generation of waste material;

(e)

possibilities for reuse, recycling and recovery of materials and/or of energy, taking into account Directive 2002/96/EC.

1.3. In particular, the following parameters will be used, as appropriate, and supplemented by others, where necessary, for evaluating the potential for improving the environmental aspects mentioned in the previous paragraph: U.K.

(a)

weight and volume of the product;

(b)

use of materials issued from recycling activities;

(c)

consumption of energy, water and other resources throughout the life cycle;

(d)

use of substances classified as hazardous to health and/or the environment according to Council Directive 67/548/EEC of 27 June 1967 on the approximation of laws, regulations and administrative provisions relating to the classification, packing and labelling of dangerous substances(1) and taking into account legislation on the marketing and use of specific substances, such as Directives 76/769/EEC or 2002/95/EC;

(e)

quantity and nature of consumables needed for proper use and maintenance;

(f)

ease for reuse and recycling as expressed through: number of materials and components used, use of standard components, time necessary for disassembly, complexity of tools necessary for disassembly, use of component and material coding standards for the identification of components and materials suitable for reuse and recycling (including marking of plastic parts in accordance with ISO standards), use of easily recyclable materials, easy access to valuable and other recyclable components and materials; easy access to components and materials containing hazardous substances;

(g)

incorporation of used components;

(h)

avoidance of technical solutions detrimental to reuse and recycling of components and whole appliances;

(i)

extension of lifetime as expressed through: minimum guaranteed lifetime, minimum time for availability of spare parts, modularity, upgradeability, reparability;

(j)

amounts of waste generated and amounts of hazardous waste generated;

(k)

emissions to air (greenhouse gases, acidifying agents, volatile organic compounds, ozone depleting substances, persistent organic pollutants, heavy metals, fine particulate and suspended particulate matter) without prejudice to Directive 97/68/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 1997 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to measures against the emission of gaseous and particulate pollutants from internal combustion engines to be installed in non-road mobile machinery(2);

(l)

emissions to water (heavy metals, substances with an adverse effect on the oxygen balance, persistent organic pollutants);

(m)

emissions to soil (especially leakage and spills of dangerous substances during the use phase of the product, and the potential for leaching upon its disposal as waste).

Part 2. Requirements relating to the supply of information U.K.

Implementing measures may require information to be supplied by the manufacturer that may influence the way the EuP is handled, used or recycled by parties other than the manufacturer. This information may include, where applicable:

• information from the designer relating to the manufacturing process;

• information for consumers on the significant environmental characteristics and performance of a product, accompanying the product when it is placed on the market to allow consumers to compare these aspects of the products;

• information for consumers on how to install, use and maintain the product in order to minimise its impact on the environment and to ensure optimal life expectancy, as well as on how to return the product at end-of-life, and, where appropriate, information on the period of availability of spare parts and the possibilities of upgrading products;

• information for treatment facilities concerning disassembly, recycling, or disposal at end-of-life.

Information should be given on the product itself wherever possible.

This information will take into account obligations under other Community legislation, such as Directive 2002/96/EC.

Part 3. Requirements for the manufacturer U.K.

1. Addressing the environmental aspects identified in the implementing measure as capable of being influenced in a substantial manner through product design, manufacturers of EuPs will be required to perform an assessment of the EuP model throughout its lifecycle, based upon realistic assumptions about normal conditions and purposes of use. Other environmental aspects may be examined on a voluntary basis. U.K.

On the basis of this assessment manufacturers will establish the EuP's ecological profile. It will be based on environmentally relevant product characteristics and inputs/outputs throughout the product life cycle expressed in physical quantities that can be measured.

2. Manufacturers will make use of this assessment to evaluate alternative design solutions and the achieved environmental performance of the product against benchmarks. U.K.

The benchmarks will be identified by the Commission in the implementing measure on the basis of information gathered during the preparation of the measure.

The choice of a specific design solution will achieve a reasonable balance between the various environmental aspects and between environmental aspects and other relevant considerations, such as safety and health, technical requirements for functionality, quality, and performance, and economic aspects, including manufacturing costs and marketability, while complying with all relevant legislation.

ANNEX II U.K. Method for setting specific ecodesign requirements(referred to in Article 15)

Specific ecodesign requirements aim at improving a selected environmental aspect of the product. They may take the form of requirements for reduced consumption of a given resource, such as a limit on the use of a resource in the various stages of an EuP's life cycle, as appropriate (such as a limit on water consumption in the use phase or on the quantities of a given material incorporated in the product or a requirement for minimum quantities of recycled material).

In preparing implementing measures laying down specific ecodesign requirements pursuant to Article 15, the Commission will identify, as appropriate to the EuP covered by the implementing measure, the relevant ecodesign parameters from among those referred to in Annex I, Part 1, and set the levels of these requirements, in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 19(2), as follows:

1.

A technical, environmental and economic analysis will select a number of representative models of the EuP in question on the market and identify the technical options for improving the environmental performance of the product, keeping sight of the economic viability of the options and avoiding any significant loss of performance or of usefulness for consumers.

The technical, environmental and economic analysis will also identify, for the environmental aspects under consideration, the best-performing products and technology available on the market.

The performance of products available on international markets and benchmarks set in other countries' legislation should be taken into consideration during the analysis as well as when setting requirements.

On the basis of this analysis and taking into account economic and technical feasibility as well as potential for improvement, concrete measures are taken with a view to minimising the product's environmental impact.

Concerning energy consumption in use, the level of energy efficiency or consumption will be set aiming at the life-cycle cost minimum to end-users for representative EuP models, taking into account the consequences on other environmental aspects. The life-cycle cost analysis method uses a real discount rate on the basis of data provided from the European Central Bank and a realistic lifetime for the EuP; it is based on the sum of the variations in purchase price (resulting from the variations in industrial costs) and in operating expenses, which result from the different levels of technical improvement options, discounted over the lifetime of the representative EuP models considered. The operating expenses cover primarily energy consumption and additional expenses in other resources (such as water or detergent).

A sensitivity analysis covering the relevant factors (such as the price of energy or other resource, the cost of raw materials or production costs, discount rates) and, where appropriate, external environmental costs, including avoided greenhouse gas emissions, will be carried out to check if there are significant changes and if the overall conclusions are reliable. The requirement will be adapted accordingly.

A similar methodology could be applied to other resources such as water.

2.

For the development of the technical, environmental and economic analyses, information available in the framework of other Community activities could be used.

The same applies for information available from existing programmes applied in other parts of the world for setting the specific ecodesign requirement of EuPs traded with the EU's economic partners.

3.

The date of entry into force of the requirement will take the redesign cycle for the product into account.

ANNEX III U.K. CE marking(referred to in Article 5(2))

The CE marking must have a height of at least 5 mm. If the CE marking is reduced or enlarged the proportions given in the above graduated drawing must be respected.

The CE marking must be affixed to the EuP. Where this is not possible, it must be affixed to the packaging and to the accompanying documents.

ANNEX IV U.K. Internal design control(referred to in Article 8)

1. This Annex describes the procedure whereby the manufacturer or its authorised representative who carries out the obligations laid down in point 2 of this Annex ensures and declares that the EuP satisfies the relevant requirements of the applicable implementing measure. The declaration of conformity may cover one or more products and must be kept by the manufacturer. U.K.

2. A technical documentation file making possible an assessment of the conformity of the EuP with the requirements of the applicable implementing measure will be compiled by the manufacturer. U.K.

The documentation will specify, in particular:

(a)

a general description of the EuP and of its intended use;

(b)

the results of relevant environmental assessment studies carried out by the manufacturer, and/or references to environmental assessment literature or case studies, which are used by the manufacturer in evaluating, documenting and determining product design solutions;

(c)

the ecological profile, if required by the implementing measure;

(d)

elements of the product design specification relating to environmental design aspects of the product;

(e)

a list of the appropriate standards referred to in Article 10, applied in full or in part, and a description of the solutions adopted to meet the requirements of the applicable implementing measure where the standards referred to in Article 10 have not been applied or where these standards do not cover entirely the requirements of the applicable implementing measure;

(f)

a copy of the information concerning the environmental design aspects of the product provided in accordance with the requirements specified in Annex I, Part 2;

(g)

the results of measurements on the ecodesign requirements carried out, including details of the conformity of these measurements as compared with the ecodesign requirements set out in the applicable implementing measure.

3. The manufacturer must take all measures necessary to ensure that the product will be manufactured in compliance with the design specifications referred to in point 2 and with the requirements of the measure which apply to it. U.K.

ANNEX V U.K. Management system for assessing conformity(referred to in Article 8)

1. This Annex describes the procedure whereby the manufacturer who satisfies the obligations of point 2 of this Annex ensures and declares that the EuP satisfies the requirements of the applicable implementing measure. The declaration of conformity may cover one or more products and must be kept by the manufacturer. U.K.

2. A management system may be used for the conformity assessment of an EuP provided that the manufacturer implements the environmental elements specified in point 3 of this Annex. U.K.

3. Environmental elements of the management system U.K.

This point specifies the elements of a management system and the procedures by which the manufacturer can demonstrate that the EuP complies with the requirements of the applicable implementing measure.

3.1. The environmental product performance policy U.K.

The manufacturer must be able to demonstrate conformity with the requirements of the applicable implementing measure. The manufacturer must also be able to provide a framework for setting and reviewing environmental product performance objectives and indicators with a view to improving the overall environmental product performance.

All the measures adopted by the manufacturer to improve the overall environmental performance of and to establish the ecological profile of an EuP, if required by the implementing measure, through design and manufacturing, must be documented in a systematic and orderly manner in the form of written procedures and instructions.

These procedures and instructions must contain, in particular, an adequate description of:

• the list of documents that must be prepared to demonstrate the EuP's conformity, and — if relevant — that have to be made available;

• the environmental product performance objectives and indicators and the organisational structure, responsibilities, powers of the management and allocation of resources with regard to their implementation and maintenance;

• the checks and tests to be carried out after manufacture to verify product performance against environmental performance indicators;

• procedures for controlling the required documentation and ensuring that it is kept up to date;

• the method of verifying the implementation and effectiveness of the environmental elements of the management system.

3.2. Planning U.K.

The manufacturer will establish and maintain

(a)

procedures for establishing the ecological profile of the product;

(b)

environmental product performance objectives and indicators, which consider technological options taking into account technical and economic requirements;

(c)

a programme for achieving these objectives.

3.3. Implementation and documentation U.K.

3.3.1. The documentation concerning the management system should cover the following, in particular: U.K.

(a)

responsibilities and authorities will be defined and documented in order to ensure effective environmental product performance and reporting on its operation for review and improvement;

(b)

documents will be established indicating the design control and verification techniques implemented and processes and systematic measures used when designing the product;

(c)

the manufacturer will establish and maintain information to describe the core environmental elements of the management system and the procedures for controlling all documents required.

3.3.2. The documentation concerning the EuP will specify, in particular: U.K.

(a)

a general description of the EuP and of its intended use;

(b)

the results of relevant environmental assessment studies carried out by the manufacturer, and/or references to environmental assessment literature or case studies, which are used by the manufacturer in evaluating, documenting and determining product design solutions;

(c)

the ecological profile, if required by the implementing measure;

(d)

documents describing the results of measurements on the ecodesign requirements carried out including details of the conformity of these measurements as compared with the ecodesign requirements set out in the applicable implementing measure;

(e)

the manufacturer will establish specifications indicating, in particular, standards which have been applied; where standards referred to in Article 10 are not applied or where they do not cover entirely the requirements of the relevant implementing measure, the means used to ensure compliance;

(f)

a copy of the information concerning the environmental design aspects of the product provided in accordance with the requirements specified in Annex I, Part 2.

3.4. Checking and corrective action U.K.

(a)

the manufacturer must take all measures necessary to ensure that the EuP is manufactured in compliance with its design specification and with the requirements of the implementing measure which applies to it;

(b)

the manufacturer will establish and maintain procedures to investigate and respond to non-conformity, and implement changes in the documented procedures resulting from corrective action;

(c)

the manufacturer will carry out at least every three years a full internal audit of the management system with regard to its environmental elements.

ANNEX VI U.K. Declaration of conformity(referred to in Article 5(3))

The EC declaration of conformity must contain the following elements:

1.

the name and address of the manufacturer or of its authorised representative;

2.

a description of the model sufficient for unambiguous identification;

3.

where appropriate, the references of the harmonised standards applied;

4.

where appropriate, the other technical standards and specifications used;

5.

where appropriate, the reference to other Community legislation providing for the affixing of the CE mark that is applied;

6.

identification and signature of the person empowered to bind the manufacturer or its authorised representative.

ANNEX VII U.K. Contents of the implementing measures(referred to in Article 15(8))

The implementing measure will specify, in particular:

1.

the exact definition of the type(s) of EuP(s) covered;

2.

the ecodesign requirement(s) for the EuP(s) covered, implementing date(s), staged or transitional measures or periods;

• in the case of generic ecodesign requirement(s), the relevant phases and aspects selected from those mentioned in Annex I, points 1.1 and 1.2, accompanied by examples of parameters selected from those mentioned in Annex I, point 1.3 as guidance when evaluating improvements regarding identified environmental aspects;

• in the case of specific ecodesign requirement(s), its (their) level(s);

3.

the ecodesign parameters referred to in Annex I, Part 1 relating to which no ecodesign requirement is necessary;

4.

the requirements on installation of the EuP where it has a direct relevance to the EuP's environmental performance considered;

5.

the measurement standards and/or measurement methods to be used; when available, harmonised standards the reference numbers of which have been published in the Official Journal of the European Union will be used;

6.

the details for conformity assessment under Decision 93/465/EEC;

• where the module(s) to be applied is (are) different from Module A; the factors leading to the selection of that specific procedure;

• where relevant the criteria for approval and/or certification of the third parties;

where different modules are laid down in other CE requirements for the same EuP, the module defined in the implementing measure will prevail for the requirement concerned;

7.

requirements on information to be provided by manufacturers notably on the elements of the technical documentation which are needed for facilitating the checking of the compliance of the EuP with the implementing measure;

8.

the duration of the transitional period during which Member States must permit the placing on the market and/or putting into service of EuPs which comply with the regulations in force in their territory on the date of adoption of the implementing measure;

9.

the date for the evaluation and possible revision of the implementing measure, taking into account speed of technological progress.

ANNEX VIII U.K.

In addition to the basic legal requirement that self-regulatory initiatives shall comply with all provisions of the Treaty (in particular internal market and competition rules), as well as with the international engagements of the Community, including multilateral trade rules, the following non-exhaustive list of indicative criteria may be used to evaluate the admissibility of self-regulatory initiatives as an alternative to an implementing measure in the context of this Directive:

1. Openness of participation U.K.

Self-regulatory initiatives shall be open to the participation of third country operators, both in the preparatory and in the implementation phases.

2. Added value U.K.

Self-regulatory initiatives shall deliver added value (more than ‘business as usual’) in terms of the improved overall environmental performance of the EuP covered.

3. Representativeness U.K.

Industry and their associations taking part in a self-regulatory action shall represent a large majority of the relevant economic sector, with as few exceptions as possible. Care shall be taken to ensure respect for competition rules.

4. Quantified and staged objectives U.K.

The objectives defined by the stakeholders shall be set in clear and unambiguous terms, starting from a well-defined baseline. If the self-regulatory initiative covers a long time-span, interim targets shall be included. It must be possible to monitor compliance with objectives and (interim) targets in an affordable and credible way using clear and reliable indicators. Research information and scientific and technological background data shall facilitate the development of these indicators.

5. Involvement of civil society U.K.

With a view to ensuring transparency, self-regulatory initiatives shall be publicised, including through the use of the Internet and other electronic means of disseminating information.

The same shall apply to interim and final monitoring reports. Stakeholders including Member States, industry, environmental NGOs and consumers' associations shall be invited to comment on a self-regulatory initiative.

6. Monitoring and reporting U.K.

Self-regulatory initiatives shall contain a well-designed monitoring system, with clearly identified responsibilities for industry and independent inspectors. The Commission services, in partnership with the parties to the self-regulatory initiative, shall be invited to monitor the achievement of the objectives.

The plan for monitoring and reporting shall be detailed, transparent and objective. It shall remain for the Commission services, assisted by the Committee referred to in Article 19(1), to consider whether the objectives of the voluntary agreement or other self-regulatory measures have been met.

7. Cost-effectiveness of administering a self-regulatory initiative U.K.

The cost of administering self-regulatory initiatives, in particular as regards monitoring, shall not lead to a disproportionate administrative burden, as compared to their objectives and to other available policy instruments.

8. Sustainability U.K.

Self-regulatory initiatives shall respond to the policy objectives of this Directive including the integrated approach and shall be consistent with the economic and social dimensions of sustainable development. The protection of consumers' interests (health, quality of life and economic interests) shall be integrated.

9. Incentive compatibility U.K.

Self-regulatory initiatives are unlikely to deliver the expected results if other factors and incentives — market pressure, taxes, and legislation at national level — send contradictory signals to participants in the commitment. Policy consistency is essential in this regard and shall be taken into consideration when assessing the effectiveness of the initiative.

(1)

OJ  196, 16.8.1967, p. 1. Directive as last amended by Commission Directive 2004/73/EC (OJ L 152, 30.4.2004, p. 1).

(2)

OJ L 59, 27.2.1998, p. 1. Directive as last amended by Directive 2004/26/EC (OJ L 146, 30.4.2004, p. 1).