Draft report on energy labelling threatens the financing of professional press content

On 25 January 2016 the Industry, Research and Energy committee of the European Parliament published his draft report on the Commission Proposal for a Regulation on Energy Labelling.

The rapporteur Mr. Tamburrano (EFDD/Italy) suggests in its amendment 60 that any advertisement for energy related product includes the entire energy label - or make reference to the energy efficiency class and to other environmental and performance information indicated on the energy label of the product model (i.e. all the data shown on the label itself, as explained in the amendment´s justification).* The reasoning behind this proposal is that mandatory information in advertising will increase consumers´ awareness about energy consumption and trigger their attention to more energy efficient products. However, studies have proven that consumers do not look for this type of details in advertisements but only when they are decided to buy a product and compare different products, such as in showrooms or in technical promotional material. While this type of information is not of added value for consumers at the stage of advertisements, it dramatically impact publishers´ revenues: not only does the advertising lose some value when space is dedicated to mandatory state messages, but manufacturers prefer marketing their products elsewhere than in magazine advertising where a label is very visible.

For these reasons, EMMA calls on the ITRE committee to introduce the necessary changes to avoid impacting the financing of a free, qualitative and professional press content. An approach similar to the one adopted in the Tyre Labelling Regulation (mandatory information should be provided to consumers at the point of sales and in technical promotional material, but no in ads) would guarantee that EU citizens are sufficiently and timely informed about the energy features of the product they want to buy, while it would not endanger press financing.

*Editor's Note: This post was updated to include the text in bold on 18/02. 

For further information contact:

Amandine Hähnel 
European Affairs Manager

amandine.hahnel@magazinemedia.eu

+32 2 536 06 08