Policy Updates

<p>DG GROW has just published the update of the “Blue Guide”. The 2016 version covers recent developments to ensure the broadest possible common understanding on implementation of the New Legislative Framework (NLF) for the marketing of products.</p>

<p>The new Gas Appliances Regulation has been published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OEJU) on 31 March 2016. This regulation will be applicable from 21 April 2018.</p>

<p>This study is carried out for DG GROW and should be finished by February 2017. The outcome of the study may become a point systems methodology that could be applied to products (and systems) that are capable of carrying out different functions.</p>

<p>The contract for this review study was given to VHK and started started in January 2016. It may be of interest to the members dealing with hot water production and those affected by the legislation on space heaters.</p>

<p>From 15 August 2018 all Electric and Electronic Equipment will have to comply with the WEEE directive 2012/91. Equipment will only be out of scope if it falls under the exclusions explicitly mentioned. Broadly speaking only large scale industrial installation that do not fit into an ISO 20 foot container are excluded.</p>

<p>The application of the 2015/1535/EU (previously Directive 98/34/EC Directive) has also been extended to new standardisation work undertaken by National Standard Bodies (AENOR, AFNOR, DIN, UNI…) at national level. These notifications are registered centrally by the CEN Management Centre and a "Monthly Notifications Register" is circulated in English to the CEN Members and the European Commission. The National Standard Body generally provides the relevant associations with a copy of these updates.</p>

<p>As part of the agreement with Orgalime Eurovent also receives information on activities monitored by Orgalime. China is taking inspiration form European legislation in a number of fields, also in the field of the environment.</p>

<p>The Product Bureau in charge of the EU Ecolabel is launching the revision of the criteria of the Ecolabel for heat pumps and water-based heaters, and is expected to finish this in May 2016.</p>

<p>The European Commission evaluation of current chemicals legislation will also address other pieces of EU legislation affecting downstream users industries regulating conditions under which chemicals are manufactured, treated or used products in which chemicals are used.</p>

<p>In 2012 it was decided to outsource some of the activities. The Orgalime partnership received the order for collecting and assembling the overall European developments .</p>

<p>The EMC directive 2014/30 EU and LVD directive2014/35/EU are replacing from 20 April 2016 their respective earlier directives 2004/108/EC and 2006/95/EC. The main changes relate to the obligations of the economic operators regarding traceability.</p>

<p>This 461 pages DG Energy study was carried out by ICF Consulting Limited and covers theindustrial and tertiary sectors. Overall the energy efficiency levels in industry are expected to improve up to 2050</p>