Televisions and Electronic Displays: ESPR Requirements, Existing Ecodesign Rules, and DPP Compliance Guide
Televisions and electronic displays are already subject to EU ecodesign requirements under Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/2021. The ESPR delegated act will add a Digital Product Passport requirement with recycled content, software update support period, repairability score, and carbon footprint. The EU sells approximately 25 million televisions per year, with the majority manufactured in South Korea, China, and Vietnam.
Truth Anchor: Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/2021 remains in force under ESPR Article 74 until replaced by an ESPR delegated act. — EUR-Lex CELEX:32024R1781
Expected DPP Data Fields for Televisions
Data Field
Annex III Category
Status
Energy efficiency class (A–G)
Energy performance
Already required
Annual energy consumption (kWh)
Energy performance
Already required
Screen size (cm diagonal)
Product identifier
Already required
Display technology (LCD, OLED, QLED)
Product identifier
New under ESPR delegated act
Recycled plastic content
Recycled content
New under ESPR delegated act
Recycled rare earth content
Recycled content
New under ESPR delegated act
Software update support period
Durability and reliability
New under ESPR delegated act
Repairability score
Repairability
New under ESPR delegated act
Carbon footprint per device
Carbon footprint
New under ESPR delegated act
Hazardous substances
Substances of concern
New under ESPR delegated act
OLED vs LCD: ESPR Implications
OLED televisions and LCD televisions have different environmental profiles. OLED panels contain indium (a critical raw material) and organic compounds. LCD panels use mercury in CCFL backlights (older models) or LED backlights (newer models). The DPP will require disclosure of the display technology and any hazardous substances present.
OLED televisions typically have higher energy consumption than equivalent LCD televisions at high brightness levels, but lower energy consumption at typical viewing brightness. The energy efficiency class under the existing regulation accounts for this. The ESPR delegated act may introduce additional requirements for OLED panels related to indium recycling and organic compound disposal.
What Television Manufacturers Must Do Now
Verify compliance with existing Regulation (EU) 2019/2021: Confirm energy efficiency class, standby power, spare parts availability, and repair information requirements are met.
Audit recycled plastic content: Determine the percentage of recycled ABS, HIPS, and PC plastics in television casings and stands.
Review software update policy: Determine current software update support period. Plan for minimum 5 years of OS and security updates.
Conduct lifecycle carbon footprint assessment: Calculate the carbon footprint of television models. Focus on manufacturing phase (panel production is energy-intensive) and use phase.
Map hazardous substance locations: Identify any SVHC substances in display panels, circuit boards, and other components.
Televisions and Displays Under ESPR
Televisions and displays are currently subject to the Ecodesign Regulation for televisions (Regulation (EU) 2019/2021). The ESPR delegated act will replace this regulation and add the Digital Product Passport requirement. The key new requirements expected in the ESPR delegated act are: a repairability score, recycled content targets for plastics and metals, a minimum software support period, and carbon footprint data.
Television DPP: Expected Data Fields
Data Category
Expected Data Fields
Status
Energy performance
Energy efficiency class (A-G), on-mode power (W), annual energy consumption
Repairability score, spare parts availability, repair manual URL
New (ESPR)
Software support
Minimum software support end date, OS update policy
New (ESPR)
Recycled content
Recycled plastics %, recycled metals %
New (ESPR Annex III)
Carbon footprint
CO2e per device, manufacturing vs use phase breakdown
New (ESPR Annex III)
Substances of concern
Flame retardants, plasticisers in plastic components
New (ESPR Annex III)
Software Support: A Critical New Requirement
The ESPR electronics delegated act is expected to set a minimum software support period for televisions — likely five years from the date of last manufacture. This is a significant change for the television industry, where manufacturers have historically provided software updates for only two to three years. Manufacturers who cannot commit to five years of software support will need to redesign their software support policies before the delegated act enters into force.
Televisions and Displays Under Existing Ecodesign Regulation
Televisions and electronic displays have been subject to EU Ecodesign requirements since 2010 under Regulation (EC) 642/2009. The current regulation (EU 2019/2021) entered into force in March 2021 and introduced enhanced energy efficiency requirements and a rescaled Energy Label. The regulation covers televisions, monitors, digital signage displays, and information displays. The ESPR delegated act for televisions and displays will extend these requirements to include Digital Product Passport obligations and will likely introduce enhanced repairability requirements — including minimum spare parts availability periods for display panels, power supply boards, and main boards.
Display Panel Technology and ESPR Material Disclosure
Modern televisions and displays use several different panel technologies, each with different material compositions and environmental profiles. LCD panels (including LED-backlit LCD) use liquid crystals, polarising films, colour filters, and a backlight unit. OLED panels use organic compounds that emit light directly, eliminating the need for a backlight. QLED panels use quantum dot films to enhance colour performance. MicroLED panels use microscopic LED chips. Each of these technologies has different critical material content — OLED panels use organic compounds that may include substances of concern, while quantum dot films in QLED panels may contain cadmium (a restricted substance under RoHS). The ESPR television DPP will require manufacturers to declare the panel technology and any substances of concern in the display assembly.
Digital Signage and Commercial Display ESPR Compliance
Digital signage displays — large-format displays used in retail, transport hubs, stadiums, and public spaces — are included in the scope of EU 2019/2021. These displays are often operated continuously (24/7) and consume significantly more energy than household televisions. The ESPR delegated act for displays will likely introduce specific requirements for digital signage, including maximum standby power limits, automatic brightness adjustment requirements, and minimum display lifetime requirements. Manufacturers of digital signage displays should be aware that the ESPR requirements will apply to both the display hardware and any integrated media players or content management systems.
Display Category
Typical Energy Class (EU 2019/2021)
ESPR DPP Expected
Household TV (55", 4K, LCD)
E or F (2024 market)
2026–2027
Household TV (55", 4K, OLED)
G (2024 market — OLED is less efficient)
2026–2027
PC monitor (27", IPS)
E or F (2024 market)
2026–2027
Digital signage display (55"+)
Not on EU Energy Label scale
2027–2028
Interactive whiteboard/display
Not covered by EU 2019/2021
2028–2029
Television and Display DPP: Expected Data Requirements
Television and display products are already subject to Ecodesign requirements under Regulation (EU) 2019/2021, which sets minimum energy efficiency requirements and introduces the Energy Efficiency Index (EEI) for televisions. When the television regulation is revised under ESPR, the DPP requirements will be added. The television DPP is expected to include: energy efficiency class (A–G), annual on-mode energy consumption (kWh/year), standby power consumption (W), panel type (LCD, OLED, QLED), panel size and resolution, backlight type (LED, OLED), repairability score, availability of spare parts (power supply, main board, panel), software update availability and end-of-support date, and end-of-life recycling instructions. Television manufacturers should begin collecting this data now as part of their ESPR preparation.
Yes. Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/2021 sets minimum energy efficiency requirements for televisions and electronic displays. These requirements entered into force on 1 March 2021 and remain in force under ESPR Article 74.
The ESPR delegated act for televisions and electronic displays is expected in 2027-2029. From the compliance date, every television placed on the EU market must have a valid DPP.
Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/2021 requires televisions to meet minimum energy efficiency requirements. The minimum class on the new A-G scale is G. New models must achieve class F or above to qualify for the EU energy label.
The ESPR delegated act for televisions is expected to require a minimum software update support period. The EU Commission's preparatory study is expected to propose a minimum of 5 years of software and security updates from the date of sale.
The delegated act is expected to require disclosure of recycled plastic content in television casings and stands. Televisions contain significant quantities of plastics (ABS, HIPS, PC) that can be sourced from recycled materials.
Register Your Digital Product Passport
The EU DPP Registry goes live on 19 July 2026. EU customs will verify DPP compliance automatically from that date. Products without a valid DPP can be refused entry. Register now at Africa’s first ESPR-compliant DPP registry.
Televisions and electronic displays are currently subject to ecodesign requirements under EU Regulation 2019/2021 and energy labelling requirements under EU Regulation 2019/2013. These regulations set minimum energy efficiency requirements and require manufacturers to make available repair and maintenance information. The ESPR delegated act for televisions will build on these requirements and add DPP data disclosure, repairability requirements, and recyclability requirements.
The energy efficiency of televisions has improved dramatically over the past decade, driven by the transition from CRT and plasma displays to LCD and OLED displays. The ESPR delegated act is expected to set more stringent energy efficiency requirements that reflect the current state of the art, with a focus on reducing standby power consumption and improving the efficiency of the backlight system. The delegated act is also expected to address the environmental impact of television manufacturing, including the use of rare earth elements in display panels and the use of substances of concern in circuit boards and casings.
Frequently Asked Questions
The ESPR delegated act for televisions is expected to be adopted in 2025–2026, superseding EU Regulation 2019/2021. Manufacturers should plan for compliance by 2027–2028. The existing regulation remains in force until the ESPR delegated act takes effect.
Yes. The ESPR delegated act for electronic displays is expected to cover both televisions and computer monitors, given their similar technology and environmental impact profile. The specific requirements may differ between televisions and monitors to reflect differences in use patterns and performance requirements.
The delegated act is expected to require manufacturers to make available spare parts (power supply boards, main boards, display panels, remote controls, stands) for a minimum period after last sale, and to provide repair documentation to authorised repair technicians. The DPP must disclose spare parts availability and pricing.
OLED televisions face specific challenges under ESPR related to the use of rare earth elements in the OLED panel and the relatively short lifespan of OLED panels compared to LCD panels. Manufacturers will need to address these challenges in their DPP data and may need to redesign panels to improve repairability and recyclability.
Yes. The DPP data carrier must be affixed to the product in a durable location — typically on the back panel of the television. The QR code must also appear on the product packaging. For televisions, the QR code may also be accessible via the television's on-screen menu system.