Europe needs a simpler, harmonised and digital framework for managing product information. This is the message from APPLiA Europe, together with a broad coalition of trade associations, calling on European institutions to take action as part of the upcoming European Product Act.
The association, which represents the European home appliance industry, is calling on the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union to establish common EU-wide rules enabling greater use of digital product information.
Less Paper, Greater Efficiency
According to APPLiA Europe, the current fragmentation of information requirements can create significant challenges, particularly for companies operating across the EU Single Market. Paper-based requirements and differing national language obligations can increase costs, make regulatory compliance more complex and lead to unnecessary resource consumption.
For an industry such as home appliances, characterised by international supply chains and products distributed across multiple European markets, the possibility of adopting a harmonised digital information system could represent an important step forward.
Digital information could also provide more accessible, up-to-date and multilingual content, while reducing the administrative burden on businesses.
APPLiA Europe’s Proposal
The contribution of APPLiA Europe focuses on the need to establish a clear European legal basis for the digitalisation of product information.
Through the revision of the New Legislative Framework (NLF), the association proposes that the European Product Act explicitly recognise the possibility of providing product information digitally, as an alternative or complement to paper-based information required under EU product legislation.
The objective is not to eliminate physical information indiscriminately, but to adopt a more flexible approach: paper documentation should remain available where it is genuinely necessary, while information that can be effectively provided in digital format should be able to follow a common European model.
An Opportunity for the Home Appliance Industry
For the home appliance industry, greater harmonisation could translate into simpler procedures and a reduction in the administrative burden associated with managing product information across different EU countries.
APPLiA Europe’s call is therefore part of a broader move towards the digital transformation of product legislation, aiming to balance consumers’ need for reliable information with the industry’s requirements for efficiency, sustainability and regulatory simplification.
The challenge for European institutions will now be to establish a framework that fully harnesses the benefits of digitalisation, while ensuring that essential information remains easily accessible to consumers and operators throughout the supply chain.
The home appliance and consumer electronics industry, together with its entire supply chain, will gather again at the next edition of Applitech, the only trade fair of its kind in Europe, which will take place from November 10 to 12, 2027, at Bologna Exhibition Center, featuring an extensive conference program.