Policy Updates

The European Commission has opened a consultation on EU minimum performance standards for data centres, covering energy, water, waste heat and grid services, with a legislative proposal planned for Q2 2027.

The European Commission has adopted the EU sustainability rating scheme for data centres. The final text keeps PUE and WUE at its core, alongside nuclear energy, grid flexibility and waste heat reuse, with labels due in 2027.

The European Commission adopted a proposal for a Regulation to simplify compliance with the Energy Labelling of products. The adopted text is now open for feedback for 8 weeks.

As of 12 August, new rules on packaging and packaging waste apply in the EU, from the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). Recently, the Commission also opened a consultation on several delegated and implementing acts.

The Commission has published an updated version of the FAQ for the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation. The last version was released in March 2026.

The Commission has published guidance clarifying key concepts of the Cyber Resilience Act, providing greater certainty for manufacturers of HVACR products with digital elements ahead of its full application in December 2027.

The Commission has launched the new Digital Product Passport (DPP) web page, providing a central source of information. In addition, the Commission launched the DPP Registry together with a testing environment.

The Commission’s first assessment of national renovation plans finds strong long-term ambition, but significant gaps remain in delivery, financing and non-residential requirements.

The Commission has opened infringement procedures against all 27 Member States for failing to fully transpose the recast EPBD by the May 2026 deadline.

An early draft Public Procurement Act would recast EU public procurement rules, giving buyers wider scope to support European production and supply-chain resilience. The proposal remains under development.

The Commission has published its Electrification Action Plan, setting a 46% electrification target for 2040 and placing heat pumps at the centre of the transition in buildings and industry.

The Council and the Parliament’s ENVI Committee have adopted their positions on extending CBAM to downstream products, including several HVACR product categories.