Revision of ecodesign regulations on biomass and wood-fired heating appliances – impact on energy security and the labour market

Question for written answer E-003236/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Ewa Zajączkowska-Hernik (ESN), Tomasz Buczek (PfE)

In 2023, the Commission began work on revising ecodesign regulations covering, among other things, local solid fuel space heaters, solid fuel boilers, heat pumps, and the introduction of new energy classes for heating appliances, putting biomass appliances on an equal footing with fossil fuel appliances. The planned changes may lead to the elimination or reduction of consumer access to wood or biomass heating appliances, which currently make up a significant share of heating systems in many Member States, including Poland. The Commission should be supporting the development of woody and non-woody biomass, not hindering it. There is no comprehensive assessment of the effectiveness of the current ecodesign regulations for woody or biomass appliances (including 2015/1185), and there are no unambiguous sources of the data and principles on which the Commission is basing its proposed regulations.

In light of the above:

• 1.On what specific scientific research, operational tests, or data sources does the Commission base its proposal for new ecodesign requirements for biomass or wood-fired heating appliances?
• 2.Has an assessment of the effectiveness of the current ecodesign regulations (for SFLSH and solid fuel boilers) been carried out, and if so, what are the results and how have they been taken into account in the draft revision?
• 3.When does the Commission plan to make available a detailed analysis of the social, economic, and environmental impacts of the proposed changes and the full assumptions and data used in the cost-benefit analyses, including the reference values for 'real-world' emissions?

Submitted: 13.8.2025