Energy Labels Powered by Qualified Certificates!

What is EPREL?

EPREL stands for European Product Registry for Energy Labelling. It is a database where suppliers (for example, manufacturers, importers, or authorized representatives) register their appliances requiring an EU energy label in the product database before selling them on the EU market. Even if you have not heard about EPREL, you would have seen the energy labels.

Consumers can access this database by scanning the QR code featured on the new energy labels. The database offers detailed information for all registered products, such as for a fridge, the energy efficiency performances, the model dimensions, the type of compartments and their individual volume, or the minimum guarantee offered by the supplier.

Since 1 January 2019, suppliers established in EU countries, Norway, Iceland, and Lichtenstein must register their appliances in this database. As part of the Northern Ireland Protocol under the UK (United Kingdom) withdrawal agreement from the EU, these rules continue to apply in Northern Ireland. Manufacturers established in other countries will need a supplier in one of the countries mentioned above to register their products before they are placed on the EU market.

The first product categories were available in the public database as of March 2021: fridges and freezers, dishwashers, washing machines and electronic displays. Tyres was added as a category from May 2021, light bulbs in September 2021. Many more categories are scheduled to follow.

Over 8 thousand suppliers, established in the EU, EEA, or Northern Ireland, have already registered over one million models by using a simple two-factors authentication, as implemented by the Commission “EU Login” system. “EU Login” is a 2-factor authentication system, which does not provide additional information about the user.

Recent changes

To better “know your supplier,” the Commission is now introducing a new verification method to improve the reliability and security of the data registered in the database.

EPREL needs to verify the following elements:

1. the existence of the supplier
2. that the supplier is established in the EU/EEA or Northern Ireland
3. the entitlement of the person signing to act on behalf of the supplier

This is the basic security principle of authenticity, i.e., the guarantee that information is genuine and from bona fide sources. Following the success of PSD2 (Payment Services Directive 2) certificates in the banking and payment sector, the new verification method uses “qualified electronic seals” (for legal entities, almost the totality of suppliers) or by “qualified electronic signatures” (for natural persons, a minor part) to authenticate the suppliers. EPREL relies on qualified third parties, i.e., Certification Authorities such as GlobalSign, to verify the information. Certification Authorities act according to requirements laid down in the eIDAS Regulation, to provide guarantees regarding the identity of the creator of the seal.

The verification system in EPREL is currently in a test phase and activation in the production environment is scheduled for 21st February.

If you are a supplier, you have additional reasons to get your qualified electronic seals now, to have your products fully visible and searchable in the public EPREL database from the second half of March 2022. From the end of a transitional phase, only “verified” suppliers will continue having the possibility to register in EPREL.

How can GlobalSign help you?

GlobalSign is proud to be a QTSP (Qualified Trust Service Provider) with one of the most comprehensive ranges of qualified offerings. In addition, GlobalSign is a trusted global Certificate Authority with twenty-five years of experience. We are not only able to address all EPREL certificate requirements, but also offer many other solutions which can help manufacturers and importers of appliances build a strong and safe platform for their customers. Our Digital Signing Service, for example, can provide Advanced Electronic Signature signing to fulfil eIDAS’ high requirements for eArchiving and eInvoicing.

Find out more: https://www.globalsign.com/en/qualified-trust-services