Industry Insights into EU Labeling Requirements C (2023)1672

The EU Commission delegated a new EU Label Requirements C (2023) 1672 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1369 of the European Parliament and of the Council regarding the energy labeling of smartphones and slate tablets.

The EU energy labeling and eco-design legislation helps improve the energy efficiency of products on the EU market.

Eco-design sets common EU-wide minimum standards to eliminate the least-performing products from the market. The energy labels provide a clear and simple indication of the energy efficiency and other key features such as durability of products at the point of purchase. This makes it easier for consumers to save money on their household energy bills and contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions across the EU.

Energy labeling of smartphones and tablets

• Energy labeling requirements will apply to smartphones and tablets put on the EU market from June 20, 2025, onward.
• Smartphones and tablets will have to display information on energy efficiency, battery longevity, protection from dust and water and resistance to accidental drops. This is also the first time that a product placed on the EU market will be required to display a reparability score.
• This energy label will help EU consumers make more informed and sustainable purchasing choices and encourage sustainable consumption.

Requirements of the EU energy label will consist of the following

Suppliers are required to ensure that:

• Each smartphone and/or tablet is supplied with a printed label in the format specified in Annex III.
• Tests are done and values are entered into the European Product Registry for Energy Labeling (EPREL).
• Any visual advertisement for a specific model of smartphone or tablet contains the energy efficiency class and the range of energy efficiency classes. 
• Electronic labels are made available to dealers for each model of smartphone or tablet, in the format set out in Annex III and Annex V.
• The energy efficiency class and the repeated free fall reliability class as set out in Annex II.

Registering your smartphone and/or tablet

As of Jan. 1, 2019, suppliers (manufacturers, importers or authorized representatives established in the EU) must register their products in the European Product Registry for Energy Labeling (EPREL). In May 2022, the database was launched for public access and consultation.

Before registering their products, suppliers need to register their organization and get it electronically verified; a guideline is available for this purpose. A wiki also offers detailed instructions on how to manage the registration process in EPREL.

For additional assistance in solving specific issues at a technical level, contact ENER-EPREL-HELPDESK@ec.europa.eu.

For EPREL policy-related questions, contact ENER-ENERGY-LABELING@ec.europa.eu.

How can UL Solutions help?

We can help you evaluate and test your devices for compliance with the EU Energy Label Requirements C (2023) 1672. UL Solutions understands the impact of regulations on our customers’ business. Our experts can review and help you understand the regulation labeling requirements.

Customers can benefit from UL Solutions, science-based, third-party verified scores that align with European directives and provide you with the technical documentation that supports ERPEL registry and EU label requirements.