Energy Related products: call for evidence on post EU Exit approach

United KingdomScotland

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has published a call for evidence in relation to energy-related products, which closes on 4 September 2020.[1]

To date, legislation on ecodesign requirements and energy labelling has been made at EU level, but with the UK’s departure from the EU, the government is consulting on the level of ambition required to support the transition to net zero by 2050.

It is worth nothing, however, that the application of a future product policy to Northern Ireland will have to comply with the terms of the Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland, which requires Northern Ireland to remain aligned to a number of EU measures on goods including the Ecodesign Directive and the Energy Labelling Framework Regulation subject to a consent mechanism.

The call for evidence aims to understand how effective current policies are and how they can be improved. In particular, it invites views on:

  • whether there is scope to set better ecodesign requirements for products that have already been, or will soon be, regulated at an EU level;
  • whether additional products that have not yet been regulated could be considered;
  • how energy labels can be made more useful for consumers;
  • how market surveillance activities can be made more effective in ensuring regulatory compliance; and
  • whether additional policy levers could be considered to increase the energy, carbon and resource efficiency potential of energy-related products.

The closing date for responses is 4 September 2020, following which the government will publish a summary of responses. Any policy options proposed will then be subject to a formal consultation. The call for evidence represents an opportunity for stakeholders, such as trade bodies, manufacturers, importers and exporters, to articulate their views in advance of any potential legislative change.

Co-authored by Lucy Charatan


[1] Available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/energy-related-products-call-for-evidence