Omnibus on energy products labelling

Background

In June 2026, the European Commission unveiled the Omnibus to simplify energy product legislation amending Regulation (EU) 2017/1369 on energy labelling and Regulation (EU) 2020/740 on tyre labelling. The proposal aims to simplify and make energy and tyre labelling rules more accessible to European consumers.

The main purpose of the framework does not change. The end goal is to provide consumers with clear and comparable information when they purchase products.

The proposed measures would allow:

• more flexibility in how labels are displayed, for example by permitting digital formats such as QR codes and electronic displays, while making sure that consumers still see the information upon purchase;
• to make it easier for suppliers and shopkeepers to update labels when energy ratings are rescaled;
• for both energy labelling and tyres, to clarify the responsibilities of representatives of non-EU manufacturers;
• for tyres only, to remove the requirement for vehicle dealers to display tyre labels when selling a new car, since customers in most cases cannot choose the tyre fitted to the vehicle;
• to simplify the legal process for updating tyre labels and to offer better support procurement and facilitate market surveillance using the European Product Registry for Energy Labelling (EPREL).

The energy product simplification initiative is the 12^th in a series of EU initiatives to reduce red tape and strengthen competitiveness and is expected to save businesses and market surveillance authorities around EUR 125 million per year over the next 10 years.

Key points

The EESC:

• recommends that the proposal extend beyond pre-contractual data to cover post-purchase information, integrating EPREL into the product lifecycle via the future Digital Product Passport; considers that the EPREL database structure should be updated to showcase operational data such as battery cycles, repairability and water usage; stresses that relevant information must remain free and accessible without registration for as long as the product is usable, even after the model has been withdrawn or the supplier has ceased its activities, so that consumers, repairers and technicians can still service and repair the product;
• insists that digital tools such as QR codes or nested views must never obscure essential data; stresses that energy labels must remain immediately visible in search results, comparison tools and shopping carts, supported by intuitive online energy-rating filters, and that QR codes should offer multilingual details and replace traditional barcodes to enhance company and product traceability;
• advocates modernising market surveillance by providing national authorities with digital control tools, specialised training, shared technologies and tighter integration with product safety reporting, in order to prevent Single Market fragmentation; considers that the Commission's evaluation reports should move from a four-year to a two-year cycle and be launched sooner, since a four-year timeline is too slow to assess a digital-first reform; stresses that digital infrastructure alone is insufficient and that effective enforcement requires stable funding, technical expertise and an adequate number of trained inspectors;
• emphasises the need to prevent digital exclusion among vulnerable groups through digital literacy campaigns in rural or low-income areas, combined with accessible layouts for people with disabilities, such as easy-to-read text, Braille, larger fonts and distinct visual icons, so that digitalisation of the label does not become a barrier to information.

Additional information

Section: Transport, Energy, Infrastructure and the Information Society (TEN)

Opinion number: TEN/891

Opinion type: Mandatory

Rapporteur: José Angel Hernandez Colomer (Group III - Spain)

Date of adoption by section: 4 September 2026

Result of the vote: 64 in favour, 0 against, 0 abstentions

Date of adoption in plenary: 23-24 September 2026

Result of the vote: 201 in favour, 0 against, 4 abstentions

Contact

Marco Pezzani

Press Officer

Tel.: +32 2 546 9793 | Mob: +32 470 881 903

E-mail: marco.pezzani@eesc.europa.eu 

Alin Mituta

Administrator

Tel.: +32 2 546 8250

E-mail: alin.mituta@eesc.europa.eu