BRUSSELS, Oct. 9 (UPI) -- The European Commission Monday proposed a new five-year deal with the United States' Energy Star program to develop more energy-efficiency tools.
The new deal will expand on the already five-year program installed in 2001 covering the development of energy-efficient office equipment including computers, monitors, copies and fax machines, the commission announced.
"I expect that this proposed agreement will continue the successful cooperation with the USA to effectively foster the energy efficiency of office equipment. Energy Star is a successful example for international cooperation on the energy efficiency of goods traded worldwide," said Andris Piebalgs, European Energy Commissioner.
The new pact will contain new energy-efficiency criteria for a wide assortment of office equipment resulting in energy savings of 17 TWh among the 25-member bloc over the next three years. Energy spent of office equipment is nearly 5 percent of the European Union's electricity consumption.
The commission is seeking to present a new Energy Efficiency Action Plan with the hopes of saving 20 percent of the bloc's current energy consumption by 2020.
