Tier 2 explained: the rule that filters the EU market

What Tier 2 is

Regulation (EU) 548/2014 (Ecodesign) caps the energy losses of power transformers placed on the EU market. It applies in stages: a first level ("Tier 1") from 2015, then a stricter level ("Tier 2") from 1 July 2021. Since that date, Tier 2 is the reference for most new transformers placed on the EU market. It is a legal floor, not an option.

Two loss families, both capped

• No-load losses (P₀) — present 24/7 whenever the transformer is energised, driven by the core. Decisive if the unit runs lightly loaded on average.
• Load losses (Pₖ) — scale with the square of the current, driven by the windings. Decisive if the unit works hard.

Tier 2 sets a ceiling on both. Depending on your load profile, specifying better than Tier 2 on one family can pay back in a few years of electricity — the "better than Tier 2" option in our configurator.

Why it is a moat, not a hurdle

Tier 2 is what separates a genuine EU-market transformer from a repurposed domestic one. As the brand placing the unit on the market, we take responsibility for meeting it — verified at the factory, documented in the test report. For the full compliance picture, see EU compliance.

General information, not legal advice; exact guaranteed losses appear on each unit's individual test report.