Directive 2010/30/EU requires the Commission to adopt delegated acts as regards the labelling of energy-related products that have a significant potential for energy savings but exhibit a wide disparity in performance levels with equivalent functionality.

The energy consumed by space heaters and by combination heaters providing space and water heating, accounts for a significant share of the total energy demand in the Union. Space heaters and combination heaters with equivalent functionality exhibit a wide disparity in terms of energy efficiency. The scope for reducing their energy consumption is significant and includes combining them with appropriate temperature controls and solar devices. Space heaters, combination heaters and packages of such heaters in combination with temperature controls and solar devices should therefore be covered by energy labelling requirements.

Space heaters and combination heaters that are designed for using gaseous or liquid fuels predominantly (more than 50 %) produced from biomass have specific technical characteristics which require further technical, economic and environmental analyses. Depending on the outcome of the analyses, energy labelling requirements for those heaters should be set at a later stage, if appropriate.

Harmonised provisions should be laid down on labelling and standard product information regarding the energy efficiency of space heaters and combination heaters in order to provide incentives for manufacturers to improve the energy efficiency of these heaters, to encourage end-users to purchase energy-efficient products and to contribute to the functioning of the internal market.

As regards significant energy and cost savings for each type of heater, this Regulation should introduce a new labelling scale from A⁺⁺ to G for the space heating function of boiler space heaters, cogeneration space heaters, heat pump space heaters, boiler combination heaters and heat pump combination heaters. While classes A to G cover the various types of conventional boilers when not combined with cogeneration or renewable energy technologies, classes A⁺ and A⁺⁺ should promote the use of cogeneration and renewable energy sources.

Further classes A⁺⁺⁺ and A⁺ should be added after four years to the seasonal space heating and water heating classes, respectively, unless the review of the Regulation proves otherwise, to accelerate the market penetration of high-efficiency space heaters and combination heaters using renewable energy sources.

This Regulation should ensure that consumers get more accurate comparative information about the performance of heat pump heaters, based on a seasonal efficiency calculation and measurement method for three European climate zones. The Commission mandated the European standardisation bodies to investigate whether a similar method should be developed for other heaters. European standardised heating seasons for boiler heaters, cogeneration heaters and solar heaters could be considered in the review of this Regulation.

The sound power level of a heater can be an important consideration for end-users. Information on sound power levels should be included on the labels of space heaters and combination heaters.

This Regulation should specify a uniform design and content of product labels for space heaters and combination heaters.

In addition, this Regulation should specify requirements for the product fiche and technical documentation for space heaters and combination heaters.

Moreover, this Regulation should specify requirements for the information to be provided for any form of distance selling of space heaters and combination heaters and in any advertisements and technical promotional material for such heaters.

In addition to the product labels and fiches for stand-alone space heaters and combination heaters laid down in this Regulation, package labels and fiches based on product fiches from suppliers should ensure that the end-user has easy access to information on the energy performance of packages of heaters combined with solar devices and/or temperature controls. The most efficient class A⁺⁺⁺ may be reached by such a package.

It is appropriate to provide for a review of the provisions of this Regulation taking into account technological progress,