The Regulations update the Ecodesign and Energy Labelling requirements for light sources and separate control gears in the UK in order to secure greater savings in energy, carbon and consumer energy bills, as well as amend the Ecodesign for Energy-Related Products Regulations 2010 and Energy Information Regulations 2011 so that these changes can be enforced by the market surveillance authorities (MSAs). Manufacturers, retailers and consumers will be impacted by the changes made and requirements imposed by these Regulations.
These requirements are intended to reflect the technical requirements in two EU regulations, which the UK Government supported when it was a Member State, and which now also apply in Northern Ireland and the EU. These EU regulations are:
The Government is implementing these requirements in the UK to secure the associated energy and carbon savings, an expected 10.6 TwH of electricity and 1.3 Mega-tonnes of CO2 by 2050. The current set of Ecodesign regulations for lighting products set requirements which are far below what is now reasonably achievable, and only weak incentives remain for manufacturers to exceed these voluntarily. The Regulations will push the market towards higher levels of energy efficiency by increasing the minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) which must be achieved. This will also increase the rate of product innovation. Additionally, the Regulations will protect the Great British market from the risk of dumping of less efficient lighting products which do not meet the minimum standards in force in Northern Ireland and the EU.
