Ecodesign and energy labelling are laws that are intended to improve the properties of products and make it easier for consumers to choose energy-efficient products with better performance. Energy labelling was introduced in Sweden in 1998 and today covers the vast majority of product categories in the industry.
The energy label is revised continuously and since its introduction, the savings, according to calculations from the EU Commission, are 537 TWh per year from 2020. For comparison, Sweden currently produces approximately 153 TWh per year. APPLiA's member companies have reduced electricity consumption by almost 4 times Sweden's total electricity production in Europe through product modernization.
The Swedish Chemicals Agency writes in a report that thousands of products containing hazardous chemicals were stopped at Sweden's border in 2023. These products included electronics, jewelry and pesticides. APPLiA members have long worked to improve the environmental performance of products and comply with chemical legislation such as REACH* and RoHS**, which phase out hazardous chemicals from everyday products. Market surveillance is extremely important for responsible authorities […]
The Applia Europe Manifesto for 2024, presented on 18 December 2023, is an ambitious roadmap with practical recommendations for decision-makers in the Union by 2030. To enable a climate-neutral Europe, the manifesto highlights the importance of energy-efficient household appliances as a key to progress. APPLiA delves below into the second part of the manifesto. The European Parliament elections are approaching and in June […]
Applia Europe has developed a new roadmap with practical recommendations for the European Commission, the European Parliament and national governments up to 2030. The plan is divided into three parts – enabling the transition to a climate-neutral Europe, supporting citizens in the transition and preserving jobs and promoting growth in Europe. Applia Sweden has taken a closer look at the manifesto […]
Changed handling of VAT could be the key to increased circular handling of white goods and electronics. This is according to APPLiA chairman Kent Oderud. Read the full reasoning below. VAT – value added tax – the handling of this could be a key to more circular behavior among citizens in our society. On the one hand, we all want to increase the frequency of repairs instead […]
Market surveillance contributes to the UN's global goal no. 12 on sustainable consumption and production. Its task is to ensure health, safety, and consumer protection. Swedac is responsible for coordination between the Swedish authorities that conduct market surveillance. Coordination is primarily carried out through the Market Surveillance Council, where APPLiA and other business stakeholders participate in reference groups. Market surveillance can take the form of planned inspections […]
The white goods in our homes are something we would find it difficult to do without. Not many people want to live without, for example, a fridge/freezer, dishwasher and washing machine. Right now there is a big focus on energy consumption, tips and advice on how we can save both electricity and money, but how much does it cost us to use the three […]
Products placed on the market before 1 March 2024 may be sold by the retailer for an unlimited period and may continue to be sold with the energy label that came with the product, but must be in accordance with the latest energy labelling regulation for the product in question. Products that are subject to the tightening of ecodesign and do not meet the new ecodesign requirements may be placed on the EU market until 28 February […]
In the coming years, we are expected to see several political regulations that affect, among other things, household appliances. But sometimes legislation conflicts with each other, which in itself can mean difficulties for both consumers and retailers/suppliers to find the optimal solutions. Applia Chairman Matts Spångberg highlights the weaknesses of the regulations. Increased repairability is a clear area where it should […]
There's a lot happening in circularity and sustainability, and here are three examples from this summer. Electrolux has introduced a new product recycling tool, Dometic has switched to renewable electricity at its facilities, and Elektroskandia talks about its sustainability work in Volt.
High environmental ambitions or focus on tax revenues – how does the government choose when revising RoHS and REACH are relevant? The EU has now opened up for revisions of the directives Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances in electrical and electronic equipment (RoHS) and Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) in the environmental area. New proposals can […]
Sweden is a world leader in collecting and disposing of end-of-life products. Today, approximately 15 kg/inhabitant is collected in Sweden and the EU target is 4 kilos, which most countries in Europe have difficulty reaching. Through strategic work together with other industries, APPLiA has been one of the driving forces in the work to form El-Kretsen AB and ensure that the industry takes its responsibility for reuse and recycling.
In Sweden and the EU, it is important that products are produced in a safe manner from a sustainability perspective. APPLiA therefore works to ensure that regulatory issues in the area of sustainability are addressed at the European level, as national separate regulations rarely have an impact as all production in the industry today takes place outside Sweden.
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National packaging labelling requirements, such as those in France, Italy and Spain, endanger the European single market and cause unnecessary greenhouse gas emissions, higher costs for consumers and additional waste. APPLiA Europe has therefore developed a joint industry statement on the harmonisation of packaging labelling.
Read the full policy here
APPLiA was one of the first organizations to develop environmental declarations for its members regarding the content of their products, long before it was a market requirement. In addition, our member companies have long declared their products in accordance with the Swedish Public Procurement Act (LOU) in procurements.
Download the environmental declaration here
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