Sylvie Gallage-Alwis comments in relation to new EU eco-design regulations

Sylvie commented: "The European Union has announced ambitious steps to move towards more energy efficient products, which is something which can only be welcomed. Reality has however kicked in, i.e. the difficulties to fully implement such ambition within a short timeframe. This surely explains why the products concerned are, for now, limited and the timing is criticised by some as being counted in years. These regulations are, however, not a smokescreen in my view. As with every ambitious project, one must start somewhere, and lessons will be learnt from a strategy whereby measures are implemented little by little. Working for manufacturers, I can attest first hand of the high burden the implementation of such regulations, on a practical standpoint, represent for them. Indeed, it is not just about manufacturing, it is about design, conception, supply chain management, technology, etc.

"Also, one must not forget some important aspects associated with any change of regulation, even when the higher goal is to protect our planet: the economic feasibility, the need to protect smaller businesses who will have more difficulties investing than large corporations, preserving the competitiveness of European companies, preserving the accessibility of such products for the consumers (by preventing too high prices' increases), and preserving industrial manufacturing in Europe.

"Finally, it is important to take into account the geopolitics of any new regulation impacting a large number of companies: these regulations have been accused of being a way to impose disguised tariffs to non-European manufacturers. This may explain why more measured steps have been decided so as to first assess the markets' reaction."