Commission Delegated Regulation C(2026) 3472 of 21.9.2026 supplementing Directive (EU) 2023/1791 and amending Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/1364 as regards the establishment of a common Union rating scheme for data centres (main act)

Overview

The regulation rests on Article 33(3) of Directive (EU) 2023/1791 (EED) and builds a common Union rating scheme on the first phase set up by Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/1364 of 14 March 2024. The European database on data centres issues electronic labels based on the information and key performance indicators operators communicate. The PUE and WUE classes for the label are defined in Annex I. The explanatory memorandum notes that EU data centre consumption of 68 TWh in 2024 is expected to reach 114 TWh by 2030, and that improving PUE from 1.6 to 1.2 can cut electricity use by 25% and improving WUE from 1.0 to 0.5 can cut water use by 50%.

The main act has seven articles. Under Article 3 labels are generated automatically by the database every year from 15 August 2027, are publicly available in all official Union languages and are valid from 15 August to 15 August of the next year; if a Member State has not indicated completion of reporting, validity is extended until 31 December at the latest. Under Article 4 operators must make the label available electronically to anyone requesting it and must not produce or display labels mimicking the official one. Article 5 amends 2024/1364, Article 6 provides for review and Article 7 for entry into force (twentieth day after publication).

The amendments in Article 5 also affect reporting scope. Definitions of 'waste heat reuse ready' and 'freshwater' are added. Data centres serving exclusively defence and civil protection are exempt from reporting. Data centres below 500 kW installed IT power and those not yet in operation may participate voluntarily; those not yet operating report the indicators they are designed to achieve after two calendar years of operation. Colocation operators that cannot meter the whole computer room estimate and state the percentage of computer room floor area their data covers. Measurements must come from reliable, accurate and reproducible methods. The confidentiality clause is amended so that individual data centre data stays confidential except what appears on the label.

The limit is that at the time of capture the act was adopted by the Commission but awaiting publication in the Official Journal. The text shows that the label brings together only PUE and WUE classes and leaves for later review an aggregated sustainability score, ICT equipment efficiency and counting all low-emission energy forms (geothermal, district cooling, batteries). The Commission assesses the regulation by 31 December 2028 and every three years thereafter.

Key points

1. Labels are generated automatically by the European database every year from 15 August 2027 and are publicly available electronically in all official Union languages.
2. A label is valid from 15 August of the year of issue until 15 August of the following year (extendable to 31 December if the Member State has not confirmed completion of reporting).
3. Operators must provide the label electronically to anyone requesting it and must not display labels mimicking the official one.
4. New definition 'waste heat reuse ready': a data centre designed (new) or retrofitted (existing) to capture and deliver waste heat to external users at its boundary, including heat exchangers, dedicated hydraulic loops and thermal metering.
5. Data centres below 500 kW installed IT power may participate voluntarily; data centres not yet in operation may report the KPIs they are designed to achieve after two calendar years of operation.
6. Colocation operators that cannot meter the whole computer room must estimate and state the percentage of floor area their data covers.
7. Data centres serving exclusively defence and civil protection are exempt from reporting; Member States indicate by 15 August each year whether reporting on their territory is complete.
8. The database must apply logical and conditional checks with warning messages; data traffic indicators are removed from reporting.
9. The Commission reviews the regulation by 31 December 2028 and every three years; possible topics include changing label scales, an aggregate sustainability indicator, ICT equipment energy performance indicators, (partial) certification or auditing of reported data and counting all low-emission energy forms.
10. Impact figures cited: improving PUE from 1.6 to 1.2 cuts electricity use by 25%; improving WUE from 1.0 to 0.5 cuts water use by 50%; reusing an average of 50% of waste heat could cover heating demand of almost 4 million households.

Using it in design

• As labels will be issued every year from 15 August 2027, set PUE and WUE class targets (Annex I) at design stage for new and existing sites and build the metering infrastructure to the reporting requirements.
• For sites not yet operating consider voluntary participation with the DESIGN status and target indicators after two years of operation; participation is also voluntary below 500 kW.
• In colocation facilities design in advance the metering and contractual arrangements to collect customer data (optionally anonymous internal reporting); you must report the percentage of floor area not metered.
• To be waste heat reuse ready add heat exchangers, dedicated hydraulic loops and thermal metering to the design; this readiness appears on the label.
• Do not produce visuals that mimic the label, and set up a process to supply the official label electronically on request.
• Follow the final published text and the review due by 2028; this document is an adopted text awaiting publication.

Who should read it

Operators, designers and compliance teams who will meet the EU data centre label and reporting obligations.

Document contents

1. Explanatory Memorandum: 1. Context of the delegated act
2. Explanatory Memorandum: 2. Consultations prior to the adoption of the act
3. Explanatory Memorandum: 3. Legal elements of the delegated act
4. Recitals (1)-(9) and following
5. Article 1 Establishment of the rating scheme
6. Article 2 Definitions
7. Article 3 Generation of labels
8. Article 4 Obligations of data centre operators
9. Article 5 Amendments to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/1364
10. Article 6 Review
11. Article 7 Entry into force

Related standards

• Directive (EU) 2023/1791
• Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/1364
• EN 50600-4

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Publication details

Authors

European Commission

Publisher

European Commission

Year

2026

Document number

C(2026) 3472 final

Document language

English

Source type

Government / public

Access

Open licence — downloadable

Licence

EU reuse (2011/833/EU) — reuse permitted with acknowledgement of the source

Licence evidence

eur-lex.europa.eu

Citation