Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/2021 of 1 October 2019 laying down ecodesign requirements for electronic displays pursuant to Directive 2009/125/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, amending Commission Regulation (EC) No 1275/2008 and repealing Commission Regulation (EC) No 642/2009 (Text with EEA relevance.)

Article 1

Subject matter and scope

This Regulation shall not apply to the following:

(a) any electronic display with a screen area smaller than or equal to 100 square centimetres;

(b) projectors;

(c) all-in-one video conference systems;

(d) medical displays;

(e) virtual reality headsets;

(f) displays integrated or to be integrated into products listed into Article 2, point 3(a) and point 4 of Directive 2012/19/EU;

(g) electronic displays that are components or sub-assemblies as defined in point 2 of Article 2 of Directive 2009/125/EC;

(h) industrial displays.

The requirements in points A and B of Annex II shall not apply to the following displays:

(a) broadcast displays;

(b) professional displays;

(c) security displays;

(d) digital interactive whiteboards;

(e) digital photo frames;

(f) digital signage displays.

The requirements in points A, B and C of Annex II shall not apply to the following displays:

(a) status displays;

(b) control panels.

Article 2

Definitions

For the purpose of this Regulation the following definitions shall apply:

(1) ‘electronic display’ means a display screen and associated electronics that, as its primary function, displays visual information from wired or wireless sources;

(2) ‘television’ means an electronic display designed primarily for the display and reception of audiovisual signals and which consists of an electronic display and one or more tuners/receivers;

(3) ‘tuner/receiver’ means an electronic circuit that detects television broadcast signal, such as terrestrial digital or satellite, but not internet unicast, and facilitates the selection of a TV channel from a group of broadcast channels;

(4) ‘monitor’or‘computer monitor’ or ‘computer display’ means an electronic display intended for one person for close viewing such as in a desk-based environment;

(5) ‘digital signage display’ means an electronic display that is designed primarily to be viewed by multiple people in non-desktop based and non domestic environments. Its specifications shall include all of the following features: (a) unique identifier to enable addressing a specific display screen; (b) a function disabling unauthorised access to the display settings and displayed image; (c) network connection (encompassing a hard-wired or wireless interface) for controlling, monitoring or receiving the information to display from remote unicast or multicast but not broadcast sources; (d) designed to be installed hanging, mounted or fixed to a physical structure for viewing by multiple people and not placed on the market with a ground stand; (e) does not integrate a tuner to display broadcast signals;

(6) ‘screen area’ means the viewable area of the electronic display calculated by multiplying the maximum viewable image width by the maximum viewable image height along the surface of the panel (both flat or curved);

(7) ‘digital photo frame’ means an electronic display that displays exclusively still visual information;

(8) ‘projector’ means an optical device for processing analogue or digital video image information, in any format, to modulate a light source and project the resulting image onto an external surface;

(9) ‘status display’ means a display used to show simple but changing information such as selected channel, time or power consumption. A simple light indicator is not considered a status display;

(10) ‘control panel’ means an electronic display whose main function is to display images associated with product operational status; it may provide user interaction by touch or other means to control the product operation. It may be integrated into products or specifically designed and marketed to be used exclusively with the product;

(11) ‘all-in-one video conference system’ means a dedicated system designed for video conferencing and collaboration, integrated within a single enclosure, whose specification shall include all of the following features: (a) support for specific videoconference protocol ITU-T H.323 or IETF SIP as delivered by the manufacturer; (b) camera(s), display and processing capabilities for two-way real-time video including packet loss resilience; (c) loudspeaker and audio processing capabilities for two-way real-time hands-free audio including echo cancellation; (d) an encryption function; (e) HiNA;

(12) ‘HiNA’ means High Network Availability as defined in Article 2 of Regulation (EC) No 1275/2008;

(13) ‘broadcast display’ means an electronic display designed and marketed for professional use by broadcasters and video production houses for video content creation. Its specifications shall include all of the following characteristics: (a) colour calibration function; (b) input signal analysis function for input signal monitoring and error detection, such as wave-form monitor/vector scope, RGB cut off, facility to check the video signal status at actual pixel resolution, interlace mode and screen marker; (c) Serial Digital Interface (SDI) or Video over internet Protocol (VoIP) integrated with the product; (d) not intended for use in public areas;

(14) ‘digital interactive whiteboard’ means an electronic display which allows direct user interaction with the displayed image. The digital interactive whiteboard is designed primarily to provide presentations, lessons or remote collaboration, including the transmission of audio and video signals. Its specification shall include all of the following features: (a) primarily designed to be installed hanging, mounted on a ground stand, set on a shelf or desk or fixed to a physical structure for viewing by multiple people; (b) to be necessarily used with computer software with specific functionalities to manage content and interaction; (c) integrated or designed to be specifically used with a computer for running the software in point (b); (d) a display screen area greater than 40 dm²; (e) user interaction by finger or pen touch or other means such as hand, arm gesture or voice;

(15) ‘professional display’ means an electronic display designed and marketed for professional use for editing video and graphic images. Its specification shall include all of the following features: — contrast ratio of at least 1000:1 measured at a perpendicular to the vertical plane of the screen and at least 60:1 measured at a horizontal viewing angle of at least 85° relative to that perpendicular and at least 83° from the perpendicular on a curved screen, with or without a screen cover glass; — native resolution of at least 2,3 mega pixels; — colour Gamut support greater or equal to 38,4 % of CIE LUV; — colour and luminance uniformity as specified for grade 1, 2 or 3 monitors in EBU Tech. 3320, as applicable to the professional application of the display;

(16) ‘security display’ means an electronic display whose specification shall include all of the following features: (a) self-monitoring function capable of communicating at least one of the following information to a remote server: — power status; — internal temperature from anti-overload thermal sensing; — video source; — audio source and audio status (volume/mute); — model and firmware version; (b) user-specified specialist form factor facilitating the installation of the display into professional housings or consoles;

(17) ‘integrated’, referring to a display which is part of another product as a functional component, means an electronic display that is not able to be operated independently from the product and that depends on it for providing its functions, including power;

(18) ‘medical display’ means an electronic display covered by the scope of: (a) Council Directive 93/42/EEC (¹) concerning medical devices; or (b) Regulation (EU) 2017/745 of the European Parliament and of the Council (²) on medical devices; or (c) Council Directive 90/385/EEC (³) on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to active implantable medical devices; or (d) Directive 98/79/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (⁴) on in vitro diagnostic medical devices; or (e) Regulation (EU) 2017/746 of the European Parliament and of the Council (⁵) on in vitro diagnostic medical devices;

(19) ‘grade-1 monitor’ means a monitor for high-level technical quality evaluation of images at key points in a production or broadcast workflow, such as image capture, post-production, transmission and storage;

(20) ‘Virtual reality headset’ means a head-weareable device that provides immersive virtual reality for the wearer by displaying stereoscopic images for each eye with head motion tracking functions;

(21) ‘industrial display’ means an electronic display exclusively designed, tested and marketed for use in industrial environments for measuring, testing, monitoring or control. Its design must provide at least all the following: (a) operating temperatures between 0 °C and +50 °C; (b) operating humidity conditions between 20 % and 90 % non-condensing; (c) minimum level of ingress protection (IP 65) ensuring no ingress of dust and complete protection against contact (dust-tight) with no effect for water projected by a nozzle (6,3 mm) against the enclosure; (d) EMC immunity suitable for industrial environments.

For the purposes of the Annexes, additional definitions are set out in Annex I.

Article 3

Ecodesign requirements

The ecodesign requirements set out in Annex II shall apply from the dates indicated therein.

Article 4

Conformity assessment

Where the information included in the technical documentation for a particular model has been obtained:

(a) from a model that has the same technical characteristics relevant for the technical information to be provided but is produced by a different manufacturer, or

(b) by calculation on the basis of design or extrapolation from another model of the same or a different manufacturer, or both,

the technical documentation shall include the details of such calculation, the assessment undertaken by the manufacturer to verify the accuracy of the calculation and, where appropriate, the declaration of identity between the models of different manufacturers.

The technical documentation shall include a list of all equivalent models, including the model identifiers.

Article 5

Verification procedure for market surveillance purposes

Member State authorities shall apply the verification procedure set out in Annex IV to this Regulation when performing the market surveillance checks referred to in Article 3 point 2 of Directive 2009/125/EC.

Article 6

Circumvention and software updates

The manufacturer or importer or authorised representative shall not place on the market products designed to be able to detect they are being tested (e.g. by recognising the test conditions or test cycle) and to react specifically by automatically altering their performance during the test with the aim of reaching a more favourable level, for any of the parameters declared by the manufacturer, importer or authorised representative, in the technical documentation or included in any of the documentation provided.

The energy consumption of the product and any of the other declared parameters shall not deteriorate after a software or firmware update when measured with the same test standard originally used for the declaration of conformity, except with explicit consent of the end-user prior to the update. No performance change shall occur as a result of rejecting the update.

A software update shall never have the effect of changing the product's performance in a way that makes it non-compliant with the ecodesign requirements applicable for the declaration of conformity.

Article 7

Indicative benchmarks

The indicative benchmarks for the best-performing products and technologies available on the market at the time of adopting this Regulation are set out in Annex V.

Article 8

Review

The Commission shall review this Regulation in the light of technological progress and shall present the results of the assessment, including, if appropriate, a draft revision proposal, to the Consultation Forum no later than 25 December 2022.

This review shall in particular assess:

(a) the need to update the definitions or the scope of the Regulation;

(b) the appropriateness of the balance of stringency between larger and smaller products;

(c) the need to adapt regulatory requirements as result of new technologies available, such as HDR, 3D mode, high frame rate, resolution levels above UHD-8K;

(d) the appropriateness of the allowances;

(e) the appropriateness of setting on-mode energy efficiency requirements for digital signage displays or other displays not covered in this respect;

(f) the appropriateness of setting different or additional requirements to enhance durability, to facilitate repair and reuse, including the time frame for making available spare parts, and for including a standardised external power supply;

(g) the appropriateness of setting different or additional requirements to improve dismantling at end of life and recyclability, including in relation to critical raw materials and in relation to the conveying of information to recyclers;

(h) resource efficiency requirements for displays integrated into products covered by Directive 2009/125/EC and into any other product belonging to the scope of Directive 2012/19/EU.

Article 9

Amendment to Regulation (EC) No 1275/2008

Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 1275/2008 is amended as follows:

(a) point 2 is replaced by the following: ‘2.Information technology equipment intended primarily for use in the domestic environment, but excluding desktop computers, integrated desktop computers and notebook computers as defined in Commission Regulation (EU) No 617/2013, as well as electronic displays covered by Regulation (EU) 2019/2021 (^*1).

(b) in point 3, the last entry is replaced by the following: ‘and other equipment for the purpose of recording or reproducing sound or images, including signals or other technologies for the distribution of sound and image other than by telecommunications, but excluding electronic displays covered by Regulation (EU) 2019/2021’.

Article 10

Repeal

Regulation (EC) No 642/2009 is repealed with effect from 1 March 2021.

Article 11

Entry into force and application

This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

It shall apply from 1 March 2021. However, Article 6, first paragraph shall apply from 25 December 2019.

Article 12

Transitional compliance equivalence

If no unit belonging to the same model or equivalent models was placed on the market before 1 November 2020, the units of models placed on the market between 1 November 2020 and 28 February 2021 which comply with the provisions of this regulation shall be considered compliant with the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 642/2009.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

ANNEX I

The following definitions shall apply:

(1) ‘on mode’ or ‘active mode’ means a condition in which the electronic display is connected to a power source, has been activated and is providing one or more of its display functions;

(2) ‘off mode’ means a condition in which the electronic display is connected to the mains power source and is not providing any function; the following shall also be considered as off mode: (1) conditions providing only an indication of off mode condition; (2) conditions providing only functionalities intended to ensure electromagnetic compatibility pursuant to Directive 2014/30/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council (⁶);

(3) ‘standby mode’ means a condition where the electronic display is connected to a power source, depends on energy input from that source to work as intended and provides only the following functions, which may persist for an indefinite time: — reactivation function, or reactivation function and only an indication of enabled reactivation function; and/or — information or status display;

(4) ‘organic light emitting diode (OLED)’ means a technology in which light is produced from a solid state device embodying a pn junction of organic material. A junction emits optical radiation when excited by electric current;

(5) ‘microLED display’ means an electronic display where individual pixels are lit using microscopic LED technology;

(6) ‘normal configuration’ means a display setting which is recommended to the end-user by the manufacturer from the initial set up menu or the factory setting that the electronic display has for the intended product use. It must deliver the optimal quality for the end user in the intended environment and for the intended use. The normal configuration is the condition in which the values for off, standby, networked standby and on mode are measured;

(7) ‘External Power Supply (EPS)’ means a device as defined in Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/1782 (⁷);

(8) ‘USB’ means Universal Serial Bus;

(9) ‘Automatic Brightness Control (ABC)’ means the automatic mechanism that, when enabled, controls the brightness of an electronic display as a function of the ambient light level illuminating the front of the display;

(10) ‘default’, referring to a specific feature or setting, means the value of a specific feature as set at the factory and available when the customer uses the product for the first time and after performing a ‘reset to factory settings’ action, if allowed by the product;

(11) ‘luminance’ means the photometric measure of the luminous intensity per unit area of light traveling in a given direction, expressed in units of candelas per square meter (cd/m²). The term brightness is often used to ‘subjectively’ qualify the luminance of a display;

(12) ‘close viewing’ means a viewing distance comparable to that obtained when viewing an electronic display held in the hand or when sitting at the desk;

(13) ‘forced menu’ means a specific menu, appearing upon initial start-up of the display or upon a reset to factory settings, offering a set of alternative display settings, pre-defined by the manufacturer;

(14) ‘network’ means a communication infrastructure with a topology of links and an architecture that includes the physical components, organisational principles and communication procedures and formats (protocols);

(15) ‘network interface’ or ‘network port’ means a wired or wireless physical interface, providing network connection, through which functions of the electronic display can be remotely activated and data received or sent. Interfaces to input data such as video and audio signals, but not originated from a network source and not using a network address, are not considered to be a network interface;