New EU regulation on office energy efficiency

THE E.U. Council yesterday adopted a new regulation for implementing the EU-US Energy Star programme in the EU. This regulation requires EU institutions and central Member State government authorities to use energy efficiency criteria no less demanding than those defined in the Energy Star programme when purchasing office equipment.

Energy Star is part of the Community strategy to better manage energy demand, contribute to security of energy supply and mitigate climate change.

“The requirement of the new Energy Star Regulation to apply ambitious energy efficiency criteria in the public procurement of office equipment will further push manufacturers to put efficient equipment on the market while making good use of public money.

“This achievement proves the EU’s commitment to turn ambitious energy efficiency goals into reality”, said Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs from the Euro-Med Ministerial Conference held in Limassol yesterday.

This is the first time that the EU Council and the European Parliament have agreed on making certain energy efficiency criteria mandatory for public procurement.

The energy efficiency criteria defined in the Energy Star programme are being continuously upgraded by the Commission in close cooperation with the Member States and the US Environmental Protection Agency.

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