Obtaining and Applying the EPREL Electronic Seal: A Step-by-Step Guide
Starting from March 1, 2022, manufacturers and distributors of appliances in the European Union (EU) are required to complete a verification procedure on the European Product Registry for Energy Labelling (EPREL) portal. This procedure ensures the legal identification and authorization of companies trading within the EU.
The Verification Procedure
To initiate the verification process, manufacturers and distributors must first access EPREL using their EU Login credentials. If they are accessing EPREL for the first time, they will be prompted to register a user linked to a physical person representing the company and create the organization’s profile by entering company details.
Once the organization profile is created, the user can download a Verification file from the organization profile under “Verification.” The Verification file, pre-sealed with the EU eSeal, is then to be signed/sealed with a Qualified Electronic Seal (Qe-Seal).
The Qe-Seal is a digital signature issued to companies or organizations, used to certify the origin, authenticity, and integrity of documents, workflows, or corporate content. Companies can obtain a Qe-Seal by contacting an eIDAS-accredited Certification Authority authorized to issue such seals, such as Intesa.
The method for applying the Qe-Seal to the Verification file depends on the Certification Authority issuing the seal. After the Qe-Seal is applied, the sealed file is to be re-uploaded to EPREL. EPREL will confirm the verification outcome within a few minutes upon re-uploading the sealed Verification file.
The Role of the Supplier Admin
The Supplier Admin is the individual who first creates the organization's profile on the EPREL portal. The Qe-Seal serves to verify the actual existence, EU location, and authorization of the Supplier Admin registering appliances in EPREL on behalf of a company.
The Importance of EPREL
The European Product Registry for Energy Labelling (EPREL) was established in 2018 to support energy-saving regulations in the EU. The energy label, a label displayed on appliances to inform consumers about its energy consumption characteristics, must be placed on the product's packaging to comply with EU regulations. Since January 1, 2019, all manufacturers and distributors of electronic appliances must register their products in EPREL to obtain the energy label.
It is essential for manufacturers and distributors to understand and comply with these regulations to ensure they can legally trade within the EU. The Qe-Seal is a crucial part of this process, ensuring the integrity and authenticity of the information provided on EPREL.
[1] Source: Link to the official EU website about the Qe-Seal verification procedure
[2] Source: Link to the official EPREL website about the Qe-Seal verification procedure
The verification process for manufacturers and distributors on EPREL, a crucial platform for compliance with EU energy-saving regulations, involves the use of technology such as Qe-Seal, a digital signature that ensures the origin, authenticity, and integrity of documents. The Qe-Seal, issued by eIDAS-accredited Certification Authorities like Intesa, is used to verify the necessary data related to data-and-cloud-computing, including the actual existence, EU location, and authorization of the Supplier Admin registering appliances on EPREL.
