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The Mandatory Water Efficiency Labelling Regulations 2026

Notification Number:

2026/7001/XI (UK/Northern Ireland)

Date received:

12/01/2026

End of Standstill:

13/04/2026

Issue of comments by:

European Commission

Draft Text:

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Message

Message 701

Communication from the Commission - TRIS/(2026) 0097

Procedure for the provision of information EC - United Kingdom in respect of Northern Ireland

Notification: 2026/7001/XI

Notification – Notification – Notifzierung – Нотификация – Oznámení – Notifikation – Γνωστοποίηση – Notificación – Teavitamine – Ilmoitus – Obavijest – Bejelentés – Notifica – Pranešimas – Paziņojums – Notifika – Kennisgeving – Zawiadomienie – Notificação – Notificare – Oznámenie – Obvestilo – Anmälan – Fógra a thabhairt

Does not open the delays - N'ouvre pas de délai - Kein Fristbeginn - Не се предвижда период на прекъсване - Nezahajuje prodlení - Fristerne indledes ikke - Καμμία έναρξη προθεσμίας - No abre el plazo - Viivituste perioodi ei avata - Määräaika ei ala tästä - Ne otvara razdoblje kašnjenja - Nem nyitja meg a késéseket - Non fa decorrere la mora - Atidėjimai nepradedami - Atlikšanas laikposms nesākas - Ma jiftaħx il-perijodi ta’ dewmien - Geen termijnbegin - Nie otwiera opóźnień - Não inicia o prazo - Nu deschide perioadele de stagnare - Nezačína oneskorenia - Ne uvaja zamud - Inleder ingen frist - Ní osclaíonn sé na moilleanna

MSG: 20260097.EN

1. MSG 701 IND 2026 7001 XI EN 12-01-2026 XI NOTIF

2. UK/Northern Ireland

3A. Department for Business and Trade

3B. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

4. 2026/7001/XI - C60A - Labelling

5.
The Mandatory Water Efficiency Labelling Regulations 2026

6. Labelling

7.

8. A key aim of the Regulations is to reduce public water use in order to adapt to the changing climate, its subsequent impacts on water availability, and to ensure we leave enough water to preserve the environment. Water labelling and wider water demand reduction efforts are being introduced with a view to achieving significant environmental and social benefits. Reducing individual water use not only strengthens the resilience of UK’s water supplies, but also preserves more water within the environment, reduces energy consumption, lowers carbon emissions, and contributes to the affordability of both water and energy bills.

Water companies in England and Wales have a statutory duty to prepare Water Resources Management Plans every 5 years to show how they will manage their supply/demand balance over a minimum of 25 years. The latest plans state the UK will need an additional 4880 million litres of water a day (Ml/d) by 2050. Nationally, water companies expect government policies to save over 1000 Ml/d of water by the same year. This reflects the significance and importance of these policies, including the launch of mandatory water labelling which is expected will save 23 billion litres of water over 10 years.

The introduction of a label is forecast to result in a number of positive environmental impacts including a saving per person of 1.5 litres/per person/per day (l/p/d) after 10 years, reaching 13l/p/d at 25 years, reducing the amount of water abstracted and so leaving more to support the natural environment. It will also support savings of 492,924 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions (tCO2e) through reduced use of hot water in homes over ten years.
The measure aims to foster a better understanding of water efficiency and promote water saving measures across the country, a goal which is highly compatible with the EU's Water Resilience Strategy.

9. The Mandatory Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme (MWEL) is a new policy which aims to lower water demand by introducing a label to give consumers the information they need to make better water efficient decisions when purchasing the water-using products mentioned above. This will be communicated through a traffic-light coded labelling system with corresponding water efficiency gradings from A-F.
Over time we expect that this will both enable and encourage the market to innovate and become more sustainable as customers begin to choose products with a higher water efficiency rating. The Regulations will place obligations on both dealers and suppliers- in Northern Ireland, these obligations will apply in relation to the non-energy using products set out above i.e. taps, non-electric shower assembly solutions, shower outlet devices, toilets and urinals. Suppliers will have to test their products to determine the correct water efficiency banding, produce the necessary labels to be affixed to the products, and provide the labels free of charge to dealers. Dealers will have to ensure that the label is clearly visible at all times at point of sale. The Regulations set out how the water efficiency rating of a product is to be determined, as well as the enforcement and sanctions regime that will apply in respect of failures to comply with obligations under the Regulations The regulations have been developed in accordance with international standards, specifically ISO 31600:2022

10. References of the Basic Texts: No Basic Text exists

11. No

12.

13. No

14. No

15. No

16.
TBT aspects:
The draft is a technical regulation or a conformity assessment

SPS aspects: No

**********
European Commission
Contact point Directive (EU) 2015/1535
email: grow-dir2015-1535-central@ec.europa.eu

Disclosed messages

message-id	Year	Number	Country	Type	Title	Date received
114454	2026	0098	COMEuropean Commission	703	Receipt of the draft text	12-01-2026
114455	2026	0099	COMEuropean Commission	037	Competitiveness analysis	12-01-2026
115464	2026	1063	COMEuropean Commission	733	Comments	13-04-2026

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