European consumers, suppliers and retailers of home appliances, electronic devices and tyres are set to benefit from simplified rules on labelling proposed by the European Commission today.
The simplified energy and tyre labelling rules will make the requirements for suppliers and retailers easier while still ensuring that consumers receive the information they need when buying a product. This will encourage manufacturers and suppliers to develop and market better and more efficient appliances and tyres, helping consumers – both businesses and households - to buy more energy efficient products and eventually reduce their energy bills and running costs. Some newer labels, including those for smartphones, will also provide information on durability and repairability, helping people choose products that last longer.
The energy sector stands at a pivotal moment: moving from a fossil energy crisis to a new era of electrification. Meeting this challenge requires a major expansion of clean electricity generation- but also using that electricity wisely. This is why energy efficiency remains indispensable. The EU energy label has already demonstrated its value, helping consumers make informed choices while driving down energy consumption across Europe.
The energy labelling framework has already proven effective in reducing energy use and supporting informed consumer choices. It should therefore be maintained and further strengthened, which is the aim of today's proposal. The EU is streamlining the rules to make them easier to apply, cut costs and facilitate enforcement, thereby reducing the administrative burden. Legislation on energy-related products can make an important contribution to a safe, energy-efficient, electrified and homegrown energy system.
The proposed measures
The proposal does not change the main purpose of the framework, ie giving consumers clear, comparable information so they can make informed choices. The proposed changes would allow more flexibility in how labels are displayed, depending on the product, while making sure consumers still see the information upon purchase. For instance, electronic shelf displays might be an acceptable alternative to paper for types of products sold in physical shops, but this is not allowed under the current framework. For products traded between businesses alone and not sold in physical shops, like refrigerated supermarket cabinets or vending machines, a printed label will not be seen before purchase and a QR code in related documentation or on the product might be more relevant. Likewise, heating, cooling or kitchen appliances are often sold by an installer or kitchen fitter without the consumer actually seeing the appliance on display in a physical shop. In these cases, the most important moment is when the customer receives the offer from the installer. The label should therefore be shown at that stage, as part of the contractual offer. Other solutions again might be relevant for products sold in large quantities, which may not be displayed individually on shop shelves but kept in their boxes on pallets.
Other proposed measures on energy labelling include making it easier for supplies and shopkeepers to update labels when energy ratings are rescaled. For both energy labelling and tyres, measures include clarifying the responsibilities of representatives of non-EU manufacturers. For what concerns tyres only, measures proposed removing the requirement for vehicle dealers to display tyre labels when selling a new car where customers are rarely offered a choice. Finally, the changes would help simplify the legal process for updating tyre labels, better support procurement and facilitate market surveillance using the European Product Registry for Energy Labelling ( EPREL ), for example by ensuring that certain product details which are now missing - but which experience has shown is essential for procurers, customers or market surveillance authorities - would be available digitally.
Such measures are expected to save businesses and market surveillance authorities up to €125 million annually over the next 10 years. They will contribute to reaching the €18.4 billion of administrative costs savings, bringing us closer to the EU's wider goal of cutting annual administrative costs by €37.5 billion by 2029. In the specific case of energy and tyre labelling, this will include cost savings for market surveillance authorities.
Background
The energy product simplification initiative is the 12th in a series of EU initiatives to reduce red tape and strengthen competitiveness. The Commission has set a course to simplify EU rules to make the EU economy more competitive and more prosperous, with a clear target to deliver an unprecedented simplification effort by achieving at least 25% reduction in administrative burdens, and at least 35% for SMEs, by 2030. In the specific case of energy and tyre labelling, market surveillance authorities will enjoy cost savings.
The proposal is based on extensive consultations, including an implementation dialogue, a call for evidence, and a reality check report. It is also supported by two implementation reports which take a close look at the consumer understanding of the energy label and tyre label since 2021. These reports drew on recent studies carried out in early 2025 on the use of tyre labels, updated energy labels, and the EPREL product database. The results confirmed the benefits of eco-design and labelling policies for consumers, competitiveness, and innovation. At the same time, they highlighted continuing problems with non-compliance and weak market surveillance, especially in online sales.
