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Off mode, standby and networked standby

Ecodesign requirements for products with standby, networked standby and off-mode

Energy savings

A wide range of equipment – audio and video equipment, microwave ovens and electric toys – can have standby and off modes.

  • since 2009 these devices are required to switch to a low-power mode (such as standby) after a reasonable amount of time
  • since 2013, they must not consume more than 0.5 Watts in standby or in off mode, or 1 Watt if they are on standby while displaying their status or information

EU ecodesign requirements are mandatory for all manufacturers and suppliers wishing to sell products consuming electric power in standby and off mode in the EU.

Network-connected standby devices

Modern appliances are increasingly connected to the internet during standby mode, consuming higher amounts of energy. This includes television decoders, printers, game consoles and modems.

  • specific requirements for network-connected standby devices were introduced in 2013
  • since January 2017 devices in networked standby must not consume more than 3 to 8 Watts depending on the product
  • since January 2019, devices in networked standby must not consume more than 2 to 8 Watts depending on the product

These rules a very large number of different products (around 800 million products sold yearly, with an estimated 5 billion units in use across the EU). The estimated electricity consumption reduction is around 32.5 TWh per year by 2030. This will save consumers €7 billion and reduce emissions by 4.6 Mt of CO2 per year by 2030.

The revision of this Regulation aims to update the ecodesign requirements in line with the technological progress and to expand the scope to additional products that are being sold in increasing volumes on the EU internal market such as motor-operated furniture and building elements (for example, motor-operated desks, blinds and curtains). Apart from expanding the scope, the rules set new limits

  • from 2025, devices must not consume more than 0.5 Watts in standby or in off mode, or 0.8 Watt if they are on standby while displaying their status or information
  • from 2027, devices must not consume more than 0.5 Watts in standby, 0.3 Watts in off mode, or 0.8 Watts if they are on standby while displaying their status or information
  • From 2027, devices in networked standby must not consume more than 2 to 7 Watts depending on the product

The revised rules make information easily accessible both to EU countries' authorities and consumers. They are expected to bring additional savings of 4 TWh/year and related GHG emission reductions of 1.36 Mt CO2eq./year by 2030.

Documents

17 APRIL 2023
Commission Regulation on ecodesign requirements for off mode, standby mode, and networked standby energy consumption of electrical and electronic household and office equipment pursuant
English
(HTML)
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20 JANUARY 2023
Frequently asked questions on the ecodesign measures for manufacturers and importers (January 2023)
English
(1.47 MB - PDF)
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1 MARCH 2021
Consolidated text: Commission Regulation (EC/1275/2008) implementing Directive 2005/32/EC with regard to ecodesign requirements for standby and off mode (March 2021)
English
(322.42 KB - HTML)
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1 NOVEMBER 2014
Commission guidelines: Ecodesign requirements for off mode, standby and networked standby (November 2014)
English
(PDF)
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1 OCTOBER 2009
Guidelines accompanying the regulation 1275/2008 (Updated in November 2014)
English
(PDF)
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