Photo credits: CY2026EU
On 1 January 2026, Cyprus assumed the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the first six months of the year. The Presidency takes place at a time when ensuring clear, coherent and streamlined regulatory frameworks remains essential to support innovation and effective implementation. This document presents the Cyprus Presidency’s priorities of relevance for the home appliance sector and outlines our expectations across the relevant policy areas.
The Presidency will lead negotiations on the European Commission’s CBAM proposal "Strengthening CBAM", which includes extending the scope of the mechanism to certain home appliances, such as washing machines and refrigerators. It will also address cross-sectoral issues related to the CBAM Regulation efficiently and effectively.
The proposed extension of the CBAM to specific home appliances will ensure a level playing field between imported and EU-made products, thereby minimising the risk of carbon leakage.
We call for strong support for the inclusion of these products, as well as for a broader range of home appliances, to ensure that gaps in the current CBAM framework are closed.
The Presidency will aim to initiate and conclude trilogues on Omnibus IV and to initiate and advance negotiations on new packages, including the Digital and Environmental Omnibus initiatives.
The proposed simplification packages have a real potential to reduce compliance costs and administrative burdens but only if the measures do not create further fragmentation in the Single Market and provide tangible benefits.
▪️Omnibus IV: We expect the Omnibus IV to reaffirm that common specifications are used only where necessary, while keeping digital consumer information as the default approach. It is important that common specifications are not treated on the same footing as standards. Preserving a clear last-resort role for common specifications helps protect the European standardisation system and ensures it continues to support the Single Market and the free movement of goods.
▪️Digital Omnibus: The Digital Omnibus will only deliver real benefits for smart devices if it adequately addresses the broad definition of AI systems, the lack of harmonised safety standards, and non-aligned definitions of safety components. Without this, even simple products such as connected kitchen appliances using AI for safety functions could be automatically classified as high-risk. Such classifications could impose disproportionate compliance obligations and complicate product launches within the EU.
▪️Environmental Omnibus: For the Environmental Omnibus, we urge the Presidency to ensure that all actors remain fully contributing to Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes. Removing or weakening authorised representatives' obligations could increase free-riding, rather than reducing it, and risk further fragmentation of the Single Market.
To ensure real tangible simplification benefits for home appliances we call on the Presidency to take into account the aforementioned recommendations.
The Cyprus Presidency will lead Council discussions on the preparation of the forthcoming EU Circular Economy Act (CEA), aiming to improve resource management, reduce waste generation, promote circular practices, and create a market for circular products and services.
Although the future CEA will be published in the second half of 2026, the Cyprus Presidency will guide initial discussions among Member States. Given that home appliances are major contributors to the Circular Economy, the following recommendations should be considered:
▪️Implement an “All Actors” Accountability Model: Legally mandate responsibilities for all stakeholders including producers, retailers, and online marketplaces, to eliminate “free-riding” and maximise WEEE collection, using realistic targets based on actual waste generated.
▪️Establish a Single Market for Quality Recyclates: Introduce EU-wide quality standards for secondary raw materials and clear “end-of-waste” criteria, while harmonising regulations to replace fragmented national systems with a consistent framework that promotes cross-border trade in recycled materials.
▪️Strengthen Enforcement Mechanisms: Ensure consistent implementation across Member States through binding targets, adequate resources for national authorities, and potentially a dedicated EU-level enforcement body to monitor compliance and reduce non-compliance risks.
This website uses cookies that are necessary to its functioning and required to achieve the purposes illustrated in the privacy policy. By accepting this OR scrolling this page OR continuing to browse, you agree to our privacy policy.
