L13/22 Official Journal of the European Communities 19.1.2000 COMMISSION DECISION of 16 December 1999 establishing the ecological criteria for the award of the Community eco-label to refrigerators (notified under document number C(1999) 4522) (Text with EEA relevance) (2000/40/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 880/92 of 23 March 1992 on a Community eco-label award scheme ('), and in particular the second subparagraph of Article 5(1) thereof, (1)  Whereas the first subparagraph of Article 5(1) of Regula- tion (EEC) No 880/92 provides that the conditions for the award of the Community eco-label shall be defined by product groups; (2)  Whereas Article 10(2) of Regulation (EEC) No 880/92 states that environment performance of a product shall be assessed by reference to the specific criteria for product groups; (3)  Whereas it is appropriate to establish criteria expressing test methods and classification for energy consumption in conformity with Commission Directive 94/2[EC of 21 January 1994 implementing Council Directive 92/ 75[EEC with regard to energy labelling of household electric refrigerators, freezers and their combinations (?) and, moreover, to adapt the -energy-consumption requirements to technological innovation and market developments; (4)  Whereas, by Decision 96/703/EC (*), the Commission established ecological criteria for the award of the Community eco-label to refrigerators, which, according to Article 3 thereof, expire on 27 November 1999; (5)  Whereas it is appropriate to adopt a new Decision estab- lishing ecological criteria for this product group, in order to allow for the participation in the Community eco-label award scheme of manufacturers and importers of refrigerators; (6)  Whereas in accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EEC) No 880/92 the Commission has consulted the principal interest groups within a consultation forum; (7)  Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee set up pursuant to Article 7 of Regulation (EEC) No 880/92, () O L 99, 11.4.1992, p. 1. () O] L 45, 17.2.1994, p. 1. () O] L 323, 13.12.1996, p. 34. HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: Article 1 The product group ‘refrigerators’ (hereinafter referred to as ‘the product group’) shall mean: Electric, mains-operated household refrigerators, frozen food storage cabinets, food freezers and their combinations. Appliances that may also use other energy sources, such as batteries, are excluded. Article 2 The environmental performance and the fitness for use of the product group shall be assessed by reference to the criteria set out in the Annex. Article 3 The product group definition and the criteria for the product group shall be valid from the date of notification of this Decision until 1 December 2002. If, however, on 1 December 2002 a new Decision establishing the product group definition and the criteria for this product group has not yet been adopted, this period of validity shall instead end either on 1 December 2003 or on the date of adoption of the new Decision, whichever is sooner. Atrticle 4 For administrative purposes the product group code number assigned to this product group shall be ‘012" Atticle 5 This Decision is addressed to the Member States. Done at Brussels, 16 December 1999. For the Commission Margot WALLSTROM Member of the Commission