SUMMARY

• The Commission published guidelines for sellers and producers (available here) on the EU harmonised notice and on the EU harmonised label. Additionally, the Commission also published high resolution vector files, available here.
• Regarding the trade association’s joint push for a common understanding (recommendations available in the attachment), this issue is still being discussed between the Commission and the competent authorities of the MS and expected to be concluded around July. For the time being, only 7 countries transposed the Directive and informed the Commission about it.

MORE DETAILS

The purpose of the guidelines document is to provide practical guidelines to companies ensuring a correct application and display of the harmonised notice of the legal guarantee of conformity and the harmonised label for the commercial guarantee of durability (EU GARAN label). This document contains a practical description of what to do and not to do when displaying the notice and label, as well as visual examples illustrating how the harmonised label and notice can be used both in online and offline settings.

To recap latest developments, the Commission is keen to avoid destruction of products and/or packaging and is working with Member States representatives on a common understanding. The document presented by the group of trade associations, including FESI was welcomed by DG JUST representative as a good base for this discussion. Based on the outcomes of the negotiations, the Commission may update the FAQ document.

For the time being, according to the latest information not every MS transposed the Directive into the national law and informed the Commission about it, despite the deadline that passed at the end of March. Germany, Italy, Hungary, Austria, Czechia, Bulgaria, and Finland are among countries mentioned to already transposed the directive. While some decided to transpose it in 1:1, others decided to take more lenient approach and include a sell off measures or else.

NEXT STEPS

FESI will keep members updated on the developments under the common understanding approach. For the time being, the Commission is expecting to conclude the discussion with Member States around July/before the summer.