6.7.2011 Official Journal of the European Union L 178/1 II (Non-legislative acts) REGULATIONS COMMISSION DELEGATED REGULATION (EU) No 626/2011 of 4 May 2011 supplementing Directive 2010/30/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to energy labelling of air conditioners THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, (4)  Directive 2002/31/EC should be repealed and new provisions should be laid down by this Regulation in order to ensure that the energy label provides dynamic incentives for manufacturers to further improve the Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European energy efficiency of air conditioners and to accelerate Union, the market transformation towards energy-efficient tech- nologies. Having regard to Directive 2010/30/EU of 19 May 2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the indication by o ) ) ] labelling and standard product information of the consumption () The provisions of this Regulation should apply to air-to- of energy and other resources energy-related products (*), and in air air cgndltmners up to 12 kw COOllng power output particular Article 10 thereof, (or heatmg power output, if only heating function is provided). Whereas: (6)  Technological developments in the energy efficiency improvement of air conditioners have been very rapid o ) o in recent years. This has allowed several third-countries (1)  Directive 2010/30/EU requires the Commission to adopt to introduce stringent minimum energy efficiency delegated acts as rf:gards. th-e. labelling Of_ energy-related requirements and led to a process of introducing new pro‘ducts representing s1gF11f1capt pf)ten.nal for energy energy labelling schemes based on seasonal performance. savings -and h.avmg a Wl(.ie d1.spar1ty in - performance Today’s appliances, excluding single and double duct air levels with equivalent functionality. conditioners, that achieve the highest efficiency levels have largely surpassed the A efficiency levels established by Directive 2002/31/EC. (2)  Provisions for the energy labelling of air conditioners were established by Commission Directive 2002/31/EC of 22 March 2002 implementing Council Directive 92/75[EEC with regard to energy labelling of household (7)  This Regulation introduces two energy efficiency scales () ) 0] 0] air-conditioners (?). The implementing Directive estab- lishes different labelling scales for air conditioners using different technologies and the determination of energy efficiency is based on full load operation only. The electricity used by air conditioners accounts for a significant part of total household and commercial elec- tricity demand in the Union. In addition to the energy efficiency improvements already achieved, the scope for further reducing the energy consumption of air condi- tioners is substantial. L 153, 18.6.2010, p. 1. L 86, 3.4.2002, p. 26. based on the primary function and on specific aspects important to consumer. Given that air conditioners are used mainly in part-load conditions, the efficiency testing should be changed to a seasonal efficiency measurement method, except for single and double duct air condi- tioners. The seasonal measurement method takes better into account the benefits of the inverter driven tech- nology and the conditions in which these appliances are used. The new efficiency calculation method with an Ecodesign implementing measure setting minimum energy efficiency requirements higher than the current A level, will lead to a reclassification of these appliances. Consequently, split, window and wall air conditioners should have a new A-G energy efficiency class scale with a “+’ added on the top of the scale every two years until the A+++ class has been reached.