Today, the European Commission published a Regulation with eco-design requirements (666/2013), as well as a Regulation with labeling requirements (665/2013) for vacuum cleaners. A vacuum cleaner is defined as: “an appliance that removes soil from the surface to be cleaned by an airflow created by under pressure developed within the unit”.
As of September 2014, the annual energy consumption shall be less than 62,0 kWh/year with a rated input power of less than 1600 W. In 2017, this must be further reduced to an annual energy consumption shall be less than 43,0 kWh/year with a rated input power of less than 900 W. Regulation 666/2013 further specifies that the manufacturer must compile a Technical File which must include specific documentation, as well as measurement and calculation methods.
The energy labels for the various vacuum cleaners are provided in Annex II of Regulation 665/2013. In addition to the labeling, manufacturers are also required to provide a product fiche of the vacuum cleaner with information about the energy efficiency class, the annual energy consumption, the dust re-emmission class, the sound power level etc.
These Regulations shall not apply to:
- wet, wet and dry, battery operated, robot, industrial, or central vacuum cleaners;
- floor polishers;
- outdoor vacuums.
The texts of both regulations will be published in our Library shortly.