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Revised EU rules for the energy consumption of electrical appliances in standby, off mode, and networked standby will apply from 9 May 2025. Formally adopted in April 2023, the new ecodesign rules include updated limits for electrical products in 'standby' mode. 

The changes take into account technological advances in recent years and extend limits to products using low voltage external power supplies, such as Wi-Fi routers and wireless speakers. For the first time, limits also apply to motor-operated furniture and building elements (for example, motor-operated desks, blinds and curtains) as such products are sold in increasing volumes in the EU.

These new measures are projected to achieve annual electricity savings of 4 TWh by 2030 - nearly double Malta's annual electricity consumption and enough to power more than 1 million electric cars - and reduce CO₂ emissions by 1.4 million tonnes. Consumers are expected to benefit from lower energy bills, with collective savings estimated at €530 million annually by 2030 and much more after that, as and when existing appliances are gradually replaced with new ones meeting the lower limits.

The new rules also require that detailed information on standby mode consumption is made accessible, empowering consumers to make informed purchase decisions. The regulation's roll-out begins on 9 May, with certain limits being applied in 2 phases over the next 4 years.

Commissioner for Energy and Housing, Dan Jørgensen, said: 

'Sometimes we seem to forget how much energy appliances - such as Wi-Fi routers or wireless speakers - consume on standby mode, and for which we pay unnecessarily. The new stronger ecodesign rules will greatly help reduce energy bills for citizens and save energy. We will be saving enough energy to power more than 1 million electric cars by 2030. The less energy we use, the less energy we import, the more we enhance our energy security and climate action.'

Background

Most electric appliances continue to use electricity even when turned off or in 'standby' mode. Since 2008, the EU has had in place internal market rules setting minimum efficiency requirements. These rules were updated in 2013 to cover the standby of network-connected devices ('networked standby'). That regulation covers a very large number of different products (around 800 million products sold yearly, with an estimated 5 billion units in use across the EU). 

A further revision was adopted in April 2023, after the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers raised no objections to the proposed Commission regulation, and the first set of new limit values under that revision starts to apply as of 9 May 2025. The new requirements only apply to new products placed on the market in the EU as of this date, which is generally how EU ecodesign rules are applied.

The revision repeals Commission Regulation (EC) No 107/2009 with regard to ecodesign requirements for simple set-top boxes, as this is no longer relevant in view of market developments. 

Related links

• Energy Efficient Products Portal
• Standby, networked standby and Off mode

Details

Publication date

8 May 2025

Author

Directorate-General for Energy