News Releases

Left to Right: Finnish Ambassador Pekka Lintu, EC Delegation Ambassador John Bruton & US EPA Deputy Administrator Marcus Peacock
 

No. 117/06
December 21, 2006

EU AND USA SIGN NEW AGREEMENT ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF
OFFICE EQUIPMENT

The European Union and the United States have signed a new agreement to continue the ENERGY STAR program for office equipment for another five years. The agreement features innovative and demanding energy efficiency criteria for computers, copiers, printers and computer monitors, and is expected to yield 30 TWh electricity savings – the approximate equivalent of the electricity demand in Hungary - in the EU over the next three years. ENERGY STAR is part of the European Commission’s strategy to manage better energy demand, contribute to the security of energy supply and mitigate climate change.

“I am very satisfied that we will continue to foster the energy efficiency of office equipment together with our American partners. This is in line with our commitment to reinforce international cooperation on the energy efficiency of goods traded worldwide. The new Agreement will ensure substantial energy savings, to the benefit of both consumers and the environment," remarked EU Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs.

The new agreement was signed in Washington yesterday by Ambassador John Bruton, Head of the Delegation of the European Commission in Washington, by US Environmental Protection Agency Deputy Administrator Marcus Peacock and by the Ambassador of Finland, Pekka Lintu, representing the EU Finnish Presidency. The initiative was welcomed by EU Member States as the program also provides them with valuable data on the efficiency of office equipment, which they can subsequently utilize in their own public procurement initiatives.

Improving the energy performance of appliances is one of the top priorities of the Commission's recent Energy Efficiency Action Plan. The implementation of the Energy Star program in the EU will be adapted according to the experience gained during the first program period, which started in 2001. The program encourages and supports procurers and consumers in purchasing efficient products through the provision of a label for equipment complying with the program’s energy efficiency criteria. It also provides assistance on how to save energy and money through the proper use of equipment.

Further information on the program is available:

http://www.eu-energystar.org/

Further Contact Information
Press and Public Diplomacy
Delegation of the European Commission
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Washington, DC 20037
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Tel: 202-862-9552
Fax: 202-429-1766