After an inquiry of the Italian Competition Authority, Kone and Schindler have withdrawn their commercial communication concerning energy efficiency

Following a report by EFESME in December 2013, the Italian Competition and Market Authority (AGCM) reviewed the advertisements contained in the websites of Kone and Schindler and acquired information through inspection findings at corporate headquarters. After some months of investigation, the AGCM supposed that such messages could negatively affect the correct choice of potential customers. The Italian Authority questioned the data on energy consumption of some types of lifts, made without providing the necessary information for their correct interpretation; moreover, the AGCM also contested the reference to Guideline VDI 4707 used as it was the official industry standard, which assigned to the products of the two companies a "class A" label of energy efficiency. The Italian Authority also supposed that the two companies had used a label too similar to the energy label which, according to European legislation, only applies to some home appliances and consumer products. During the proceedings, the two companies have denied the supposed charges. However, in order to prevent the continuation of such proceedings and the risk of any possible negative outcome and potential sanctions, they preferred to propose to the Authority their formal commitments to change the advertisements and to remove all disputed references. Given this great achievement by EFESME in a Member State of the European Union, we warmly invite all associate members to monitor the correctness of their commercial communications and the compliance with national and European regulations, and to eliminate any possible illegitimate references. We also invite all members to report to national competent Authorities any similar case and, in particular, to report the misuse in the lifts sector of any energy label similar to the European label regulated by Directive 2010/30/EU.