Environmental and consumer stakeholder contribution to robust and real-life representative standards that support the EU clean energy transition

Introduction

Technical standards have a broad impact on the safety and well-being of citizens and the environment. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that the participation of societal stakeholders in the development of standards is strengthened.

Importance of Civil Society Participation

Ensuring civil society participation in EU standards-making is fundamental to deliver standards that can support Europe’s climate and energy goals. Standardisation plays a key role in supporting EU legislation on the clean energy transition, in particular on the Ecodesign and Energy labelling regulations, as well as on energy management and audits.

Policy Framework

These policies are crucial for the implementation of the EU’s 2030 energy and climate framework and its 2050 climate neutrality objective. To ensure regulations can deliver the energy savings they were designed to bring about and to adequately implement the Energy Efficiency First principle, appropriate, repeatable, reproducible standardised test methods are needed.

Requirements for Standardised Methods

These methods should account for real-life usage reflecting average end-user behaviour and be robust to deter circumvention.

Project Goals

The goal of reaLIFEstandards is two-fold:

1. To ensure the effective participation of environmental and consumer stakeholders in standardisation.
2. To promote the integration of environmental and consumer interests in standards underpinning the clean energy transition.

Project Activities

In the framework of this action, project partners will participate in the technical work within the European and International Standardisation Organisations to provide expertise, understand and challenge industrial interests, and influence the drafting of standardisation deliverables.

Conclusion

The project will directly foster civil society participation in standards-making, pushing for a more inclusive standardisation system by raising awareness on the importance of environmentally robust standards that account for consumer expectations.