Ökodesign-Verordnung (ESPR)

Products should last longer, be repairable and be easy to recycle at the end of their life. With the Ecodesign Regulation, the EU is gradually turning this aspiration into binding rules. For IT hardware, this has consequences for purchasing, use and reuse.

What is the Ecodesign Regulation?

The former Ecodesign Directive 2009/125/EC concerned only energy-related products and above all their power consumption. The ESPR extends the approach to nearly all physical goods. Exceptions include food and feed, medicinal products and vehicles. As a regulation, it applies directly in all Member States.

The ESPR itself does not yet contain any product requirements. The European Commission sets these gradually in delegated acts for individual product groups. A working plan determines which groups come first.

What does the ESPR require? (As of 10/2026)

Component	Contents	Status
Product requirements	Durability, repairability, spare parts, recyclability, recycled content, information obligations	Set in delegated acts for each product group
Digital product passport	Digital product information, retrievable for example via a QR code	EU registry for product passports planned since July 19, 2026, mandatory per product group
Destruction ban	Ban on destroying unsold consumer products	Applies since July 19, 2026 to clothing and footwear for large companies, extension to further products possible
Disclosure	Large companies publish information on destroyed unsold products	Staggered by company size

For smartphones and tablets, separate ecodesign requirements and an energy label with a repairability class have already applied since June 2025. These still come from the old legal framework but pursue the same goals. More on this under Repairability index.

Meaning for IT hardware

• Procurement: Information on service life, repairability and spare parts becomes comparable and feeds into sustainable procurement.
• Use: Better repairability extends the service life and reduces costs.
• Re-use: More easily replaceable batteries and available spare parts make refurbishment easier.
• Recycling: Information in the product passport helps waste management companies recover materials in a targeted way.

Closely related is the Right to repair, which obliges manufacturers of certain product groups to repair. Background on a long-lasting IT strategy is provided by the article Sustainable IT strategy against throwaway culture.

Ecodesign and Second IT

Second IT extends the service life of IT hardware through repair, component refurbishing and upgrades and remarkets refurbished devices. Devices that are no longer usable are dismantled and professionally recycled, with records for your ESG reporting. More on sustainable IT disposal.

Frequently asked questions about the Ecodesign Regulation

Does the ESPR already apply to notebooks and PCs?

The regulation is in force, but specific requirements for individual product groups will only follow in delegated acts. Until then, the existing ecodesign requirements from the old framework continue to apply to computers (as of 10/2026).

What is the difference between the ESPR and the Ecodesign Directive?

The 2009 directive concerned only energy-related products and had to be transposed nationally. The ESPR is a regulation, applies directly and covers almost all physical products with considerably more aspects than energy consumption.

Do companies as buyers have to do anything?

Obligations fall mainly on manufacturers, importers and retailers. As a buyer, you benefit from better information. The destruction ban affects companies that carry unsold consumer products.

Which products are not covered by the Ecodesign Regulation?

The ESPR covers nearly all physical goods. Exceptions include food and feed, medicinal products and vehicles. As a regulation, it applies directly in all Member States. Specific requirements follow per product group in delegated acts.

What does the destruction ban in the Ecodesign Regulation regulate?

It prohibits destroying unsold consumer products. It has applied since July 19, 2026 to clothing and footwear for large companies. An extension to further products is possible. Large companies must also publish information on destroyed unsold products (as of 10/2026).