European Commission (EC)

On 25 March 2021, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the implementation of the Ambient Air Quality (AAQ) Directives, in which it calls on the European Commission to regulate Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) as well. The resolution is not binding on the Commission but is nevertheless a significant milestone in the efforts to enshrine IAQ into legislation. It confirms there is growing appreciation among legislators of the importance of clean air indoors, reflecting an ambition which Eurovent has been advocating for consistently.

The European Consultations start with a ‘Roadmap/Inception Impact Assessment’ followed by a ‘Public Consultation’. The Roadmap looks for general comments of the interested persons and stakeholders. The Consultation is the second phase and consists of detailed questionnaires. The industry benefits from responding to these Consultations.

On a monthly basis, the Eurovent Team compiles a global overview of the latest developments concerning new standardisation activities and technical regulations of relevance for the HVACR industry. Our Notifications allow members to be prepared for developments that can have an impact on them and their products.

The Digital Single Market (DSM) strategy announced in 2015 aims to prepare industry for global competitiveness. The National Recovery and Resilience Plans should support 37% of the green transition and 20% of the digital transformation. The DSM is accompanied by a Rolling Plan for ICT standardisation.

The European Commission has published guidelines for economic operators and market surveillance authorities on the practical implementation of Article 4 of the Market Surveillance Regulation. The document notably clarifies the scope and duties of economic operators regarding products placed on the EU market.

The review of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) has started. In its submission to the roadmap, Eurovent calls on the European Commission to mainstream indoor environmental quality (IEQ) considerations into the Directive. If this is done well, the EPBD could serve to achieve both healthier and more energy efficient buildings, leveraging the synergies between the two. Read the full Eurovent Position Paper on the review of the EPBD now.

The preliminary analysis of product groups and horizontal initiatives as well as complementary analyses and recommendations have been published in advance of the stakeholder meeting on 26 March. Among the product groups relevant to Eurovent are swimming pool heaters and smart sensors that could become subject to Ecodesign measures. Air curtains are not selected. More important are the horizontal issues that could face all manufacturers: lightweight design, recycled content, ecological profile, durability, scarce and critical raw materials, firmware and software.

In cooperation with Orgalim, the Eurovent Team regularly provides you with an in-depth overview on all European legislative developments of relevance for the HVACR sector. The Bulletin provides for a hands-on compendium allowing the industry to assess the status quo and expected future developments. In addition to recent sector specific issues, our Team has summarised some of the key takeaways within this article.

The Sustainable Products Initiative (SPI) is a key part of the new Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP), one of the main flagships of the European Green Deal, and a pillar of the New Industrial Strategy for Europe. Through the public consultation, the Commission is gathering opinions from the public and relevant stakeholders on the main policy options for a Sustainable Products Directive that might be published still before the end of 2021.

Bram Verckens, Project Leader, and Ioana Sandu, Project Coordinator have just released the minutes of the second EEPLIANT 3 Advisory Committee meeting that took place on 9 February 2021.