EU Code of Conduct for Energy Efficiency in Data Centres
A voluntary programme where operators commit to apply a catalogue of efficiency best practices for cooling, power distribution, IT and monitoring; an Assessment Framework gives auditors the tools to check whether practices are applied, and annual awards recognise large energy savings.
- 3requirementsin our own words
- 1edition 2025 Best Practice Guidelines
- 0places where it is a duty of 30 assessed
- 18 Oct 2026last checkedat the sources below
Where it applies
It is voluntary in the 30 places assessed. The outcome holds under the conditions shown and says nothing about any one site.
| Where | Outcome | Basis | Conditions | Authority and route |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All 27 EU Member States | Applies | Voluntary In force | From 1 MW (installed IT power) Voluntary; the EED asks Member States to encourage participation at 1 MW or more installed IT power. | Not stated |
| Switzerland, United Kingdom, Norway | Applies | Voluntary In force | None stated Voluntary; the EED asks Member States to encourage participation at 1 MW or more installed IT power. | Not stated |
What it asks for
3 requirements, each in our own words with the evidence an assessor would expect and who on a site usually owns it. Read the clause itself on the scheme owner's page.
| Requirement | Evidence expected | Owner | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Register the data centres taking part (operator level participant). | Participant registration Record, checked by document review | Compliance manager | Once Governance, one site |
| Select and implement best practices for cooling, power distribution, IT and monitoring. | Best practice implementation plan Record, checked by document review | M&E lead | Every year Governance, one site |
| Track efficiency indicators over time. | Monitoring data Meter data, checked by document review | M&E lead | Every year Disclosure, one site |
Editions
Which text is in force, from when, and which one it replaced.
| Edition | Status | Published | In effect | Replaces |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Best Practice Guidelines | Current Cited as footnote 33 of COM(2026) 500; the JRC says the document is revised annually. | 2025 | Not stated | None named |
About the programme
- Scheme owner
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre
- Assessed by
- Self-declaration
- Scope
- data centre site or portfolio
- Levels
- Participants (operators) and Endorsers (vendors, consultants, associations)
- Validity
- Best Practices are revised annually. The JRC page blocks scripted access, so the archived copy of 24 Aug 2025 (web.archive.org) is the source; reconfirm on the live page.
- Accreditation route
- none: Commission-run registration; Assessment Framework supports third-party audits
- Regulator
- Commission encourages participation (Directive 2023/1791 Art. 12(4))
- Who asks for it
- Regulator, Public tenders, Enterprise and colocation customers
- Where it is used
- EU, open to others
Sources
Official bodies behind this page, each with the date we last read it.
- EUR-Lex (Official Journal of the EU)read 18 Oct 2026
Not legal advice. Confirm each duty against the text itself.