Did Europe classify air conditioners as a luxury because of the green agenda? What EU rules say

Publication date: 27 July 2026

Claim

A presenter on Belarusian state television channel CTV claimed that Europe had classified air conditioners as luxury items because of the green agenda, leaving Europeans without affordable cooling and putting the continent on a path to decline during extreme heat.

Verdict

False / manipulative. We found no EU-wide decision that classifies air conditioners as luxury items or bans their household use. EU rules set requirements for energy efficiency, labels, noise and refrigerants. European institutions also explicitly recognise the danger of heat, rising demand for cooling and summer energy poverty. The policy direction is more efficient and accessible cooling, not the rejection of cooling.

In brief

• The European Commission maintains an official product registry for air conditioners and applies energy efficiency and labelling rules. They are regulated products, not prohibited luxuries.

• About 57 million room air conditioners were in use in the EU in 2020. The Commission projects more than 100 million installed units by 2030.

• Eurostat reported that household energy use for cooling doubled between 2018 and 2024.

• The European Environment Agency says active cooling may be necessary during long heatwaves or for people facing serious health risks. It recommends combining efficient equipment with insulation, shading, ventilation and urban greening.

• The World Health Organization reports more than 200,000 heat-related deaths in the EU and associated countries over four years. This is a real problem, but it does not support the invented luxury classification.

Why this matters

Heatwaves create serious risks for older people, people with chronic conditions, children, outdoor workers and residents of poorly adapted housing. The claim about a ban or luxury status replaces a real policy debate with a simple political story: climate measures supposedly deprive Europeans of protection on purpose.

That substitution makes it harder to discuss the real questions. Who cannot afford safe cooling? Which buildings overheat? Where is air conditioning necessary, and where can shading, ventilation and insulation work better? How should power grids handle peak demand? These questions require evidence and targeted measures, not a story about a doomed Europe.

What we checked

We checked:

• The Belarusian Investigative Center report about the CTV statement.

• The European Commission product page and rules for air conditioners and comfort fans.

• Eurostat data on household energy use for cooling.

• European Environment Agency guidance on sustainable building cooling.

• The WHO Regional Office for Europe statement on heat mortality.

• European Commission policy on heat pumps, which can also provide cooling.

Evidence

The EU does not call air conditioners luxury items

The European Commission states that ecodesign and energy labelling requirements apply to air conditioners. For units with a cooling capacity of up to 12 kW, the rules cover minimum energy performance, maximum sound levels and information for consumers.

The energy label shows cooling and heating efficiency, estimated electricity use and sound levels. It helps buyers compare models. Product performance requirements are not a ban on the product itself.

The Commission also reports that the number of room air conditioners in the EU grew from fewer than 7 million in 1990 to more than 57 million in 2020. More than 100 million units are projected to be installed by 2030. That trend is incompatible with the claim that the EU has placed air conditioning in an inaccessible luxury category.

Household cooling is increasing

Eurostat says final household energy consumption for space cooling rose from 40.5 thousand terajoules in 2018 to 80.4 thousand terajoules in 2024. Italy, Spain and Greece recorded the highest total use.

These figures do not mean that cooling is affordable for everyone. They show that air conditioning is being used and demand is growing. The policy challenge is to lower costs, improve efficiency and support vulnerable households.

European institutions recognise that active cooling can protect health

The European Environment Agency says active cooling may be necessary during long heatwaves or where people face serious health risks. In those cases, cooling systems should be as efficient as possible and equitably accessible to vulnerable groups.

The agency does not suggest relying on air conditioners alone. It recommends a combination of shading, night ventilation, insulation and building renovation, urban greening, fans and efficient active cooling where needed. The reason is that uncontrolled use of inefficient equipment can increase bills, grid demand and emissions.

Climate policy includes support for cooling

The European Commission promotes heat pumps as technology for heating, hot water and, in some cases, cooling. From 2026, the Social Climate Fund can support energy efficiency and the decarbonisation of heating and cooling, including heat pump installation for vulnerable households and micro-enterprises.

This does not mean every household already receives assistance. It does show that green policy does not inherently exclude household cooling.

The heat risk is real

The WHO Regional Office for Europe reported more than 200,000 heat-related deaths in the EU and associated countries over four years. It recommends heat-health action plans, cooling centres, urban shade, support for older people, adapted work schedules and prepared health services.

Real heat mortality does not validate the claim that air conditioners were banned. It shows the need for an accessible mix of measures, including efficient cooling.

What remains unknown

• EU countries and cities have different building codes, subsidies and energy-use rules. We did not review every local programme.

• Restrictions on some refrigerants or inefficient models can affect product choice and prices. They are not a ban on air conditioners as a category.

• Data on how many households cannot afford safe summer temperatures remain uneven.

• We do not assess the best cooling method for a specific home or medical condition.

Conclusion

The claim that Europe classified air conditioners as luxury items because of the green agenda is not supported by official rules or data. The EU regulates the efficiency and environmental performance of devices, but air conditioners remain on sale and in use, while both the installed stock and household energy consumption for cooling are rising.

The real issue is not an invented ban. It is how to make protection from heat affordable, safe for health and sustainable for the power system.

Sources

• Belarusian Investigative Center, *Are air conditioners a luxury in Europe? Fact-checking CTV claims*, 16 July 2026: https://investigatebel.org/en/fakenews/stv-mukovozchik-europe-air-conditioning

• European Commission, *Air Conditioners and Comfort Fans*: https://energy-efficient-products.ec.europa.eu/ecodesign-and-energy-label/product-list/air-conditioners-and-comfort-fans_en

• Eurostat, *Energy use for cooling in EU households doubled in 6 years*, 8 July 2026: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/w/ddn-20260708-1

• European Environment Agency, *Cooling buildings sustainably in Europe*: https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/analysis/publications/cooling-buildings-sustainably-in-europe-exploring-the-links-between-climate-change-mitigation-and-adaptation-and-their-social-impacts

• WHO Regional Office for Europe, *Europe lost 200 000 people to heat in 4 years*, 11 June 2026: https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/11-06-2026-statement---europe-lost-200-000-people-to-heat-in-4-years-yet-nearly-all-of-them-were-preventable

• European Commission, *Heat pumps*: https://energy.ec.europa.eu/topics/energy-efficiency/heat-pumps_en

Corrections and updates

No corrections at the time of publication. We will update this article if new EU rules or more complete data on access to cooling become available.