DIGITALEUROPE, EuroVAprint and ITI reaction to the expiration of the EU-US agreement on ENERGY STAR

The tech sector is surprised and disappointed with the expiration of the agreement between the European Commission and the Government of the United States for the EU ENERGY STAR Programme for office equipment.

As key stakeholders in this programme, the undersigned associations regret the lack of consultation with Industry on this topic and would like to share their concerns with disruptions this could cause in the ICT market in Europe. Additionally, no assessment of the effectiveness of the programme has been shared that supports the decision to discontinue it.

The EU ENERGY STAR programme has had a successful impact over its 15 years of operation and has been a key element in the promotion of office equipment energy efficiency in the EU, being recognized as an important differentiator by consumers and commercial procurers alike. Ending unilaterally the agreement sends the wrong message to the market and particularly without a focus on the top 25% energy performing equipment. Minimum market entry performance mandates will prevail and energy savings potential will be lost. Public procurement should continue to be encouraged to “lead by example” and procure the best energy performing products.

The criteria set by the ENERGY STAR programme have also significantly guided EU regulatory framework for ICT, serving as a framework for Ecodesign implementing measures (e.g. Computer Ecodesign and Imaging Equipment Voluntary agreement). This programme has been an important enabler for the ICT sector, providing a stable convergence of regulatory methodologies on both sides of the Atlantic. The undersigned associations would like to restate that such convergence is critical for the sector, and would encourage the European Commission not to deviate significantly from those common methodologies in the future, with whatever regulatory actions that might be considered necessary for office equipment.