The EU Ecodesign Directive (Directive 2009/125/EC - ERP) establishes a framework to set mandatory environmental requirements for energy-using and energy-related products sold in all 27 Member States. Its scope currently covers more than 40 product groups.
The ultimate aim of the Ecodesign Directive is that manufacturers of energy-using products will, at the design stage, be required to reduce the energy consumption and other environmental impacts of products. While the Directive's primary aim is to reduce energy use, it is also aimed at enforcing other environmental considerations including: materials use; water use; polluting emissions; waste production, enf of life management and recyclability.
The Ecodesign Directive is a framework directive, meaning that it does not directly set minimum environmental requirements. These are adopted through specific implementing measures for each group of products in the scope of the Directive. The implementing measures are adopted through the so-called comitology procedure. Implementing measures are based on EU internal market rules governing which products may be placed on the market.
Medical Devices have not been included so far in the EU Commission working plan, therefore no implementing measures are foreseen in a near future. COCIR Members decided in 2008 to adopt a proactive approach in regards to the ErP Directive. They committed with the EU Commission to a self-regulatory initiative for medical imaging devices, fulfilling all the requirements set by the ecodesign Diective in Annex VIII, to improve the environmental performances of medical imaging devices
All relevant information and documentation on the COCIR ecodesign initiative can be found at the SRI page.
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