MEPs reject EU plans to change energy label scheme

Parliament's industry, research and energy committee has rejected European commission proposals to end the well-known A to G traffic colour energy efficiency labelling scheme for appliances.

The decision follows an informal hearing on the issue, organised by the ALDE group on Tuesday, and a resolution calling for the proposed changes to be rejected, put forward by parliament's Socialist group and backed by the Greens.

Speaking after the vote late on Tuesday in Strasbourg, ALDE member Fiona Hall said she was delighted that the committee had objected to the commission's plans for a new energy labelling scheme.

"The commission's proposals risked replacing a well-established and well-understood system with one that is extremely confusing," she said.

Under the commission's proposals, the A to G labelling system was to have been extended to categories more efficient than A, designated A-20 per cent, A-40 per cent etc.

"Because of technology improving all the time, we were heading rapidly for a ridiculous situation where all appliances currently on the market would be labelled with a green A, giving consumers no clear indication which of those products was the most efficient," said Hall.

"Indeed, under proposals to take off the market the most inefficient fridges and televisions, we would have ended up in a situation where products labelled A were being banned because they were so inefficient.

"The much better approach would be to include the year of origin on the A to G label, and recalibrate the classification every few years to deal with improvements in efficiency technology."

If the committee's decision is backed by the parliament at its May plenary in Strasbourg, the commission will be asked to come forward quickly with a revised labelling proposal later this year.

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