European Commission (EC)

The European Commission will establish a High-Level Forum on European Standardisation, bringing together Member States, standardisation bodies, industry, SMEs, civil society and academia to help set priorities, advise on standardisation needs, and boost EU competitiveness.

The recent Expert Webinar hosted by the Eurovent Association, presented an overview on the recommendations by the industry to bridge the gap between regulatory requirements of the new Ecodesign and Energy Labelling measures while taking into consideration market conditions and realities in Europe.

Last Wednesday, 11 December, the European Commission presented the European Green Deal, an ambitious package of policy measures geared towards making Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. With bold investments in green technologies, boosts to innovation, and support for climate friendly industries, the policy package offers new growth perspectives for businesses in the European HVACR sector, and the potential to bolster the position of our industry as global leaders in clean and sustainable products.

The Commission has just issued the update of Policy Officers for the different Ecodesign and Energy Labelling files. Below, you may find the outline their competences and the present status of the individual Lots.

The European Commission for the period 2019-2024 has been elected. Within that context a brief overview of the various institutes involved in the HVACR industry is provided as well as a general update on ongoing files.

On 22 November, the EU Directorate General for Taxation and Customs published a guidance note in case the United Kingdom would leave the EU with no deal. If there would be no deal, the UK will withdraw from the EU on 1 February 2020. If there would be a deal, a new transition period would apply. Both the EU and the UK have been updating their guidance notes.

The revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) 2018/1844 requires the Commission to conclude a feasibility study, clarifying the possibilities and timeline to introduce the inspection of stand-alone ventilation systems and an optional building renovation passport before 2020. 

The Commission informed the stakeholders that discussions on the preparation of the delegated act that will establish the Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI) scheme under Article 8(10) of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), including the definition and calculation methodology of the SRI, have started. The adoption of a Common Union SRI by the Member States is optional.

The 2019 edition of the European Environment Agency (EEA) report on fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-Gases) confirms the progress achieved in 2018 by the European Union. The 2019 report also looks at the phase-down under the Montreal Protocol that apply from 2019.

As announced in GEN – 1059.00, the revised Electric Motors and Variable Speed Drives Regulation has been published on the announced date of 25 October 2019, as Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/1781 of 1 October 2019, laying down Ecodesign requirements for electric motors and variable speed drives pursuant to Directive 2009/125/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, amending Regulation (EC) No 641/2009 with regard to Ecodesign requirements for glandless standalone circulators and glandless circulators integrated in products and repealing Commission Regulation (EC) No 640/2009.