Brussels, July 22 (DPA) The European Union is to ban the sale of inefficient TVs, fridges and electric motors as early as next July in a bid to save energy and fight global warming, the EU’s executive said Wednesday.

The EU is the world’s largest single market, making the new rules crucial for technology producers around the world.

The bloc currently rates domestic appliances such as fridges according to their energy consumption, with A+ being the most efficient class.

According to new rules approved by the European Commission Wednesday, fridges and freezers with a rating equivalent to the current B or worse will be taken off the EU’s shelves July 1 next year, with A-class products to follow two years later.

From Aug 20 next year, only TVs which are more efficient than the current EU average will be allowed on sale. From April 1, 2012, only sets which are at least 20 percent more efficient than that will be permitted in the EU market.

Electric motors and the pumps used in heating systems will be subject to similar rules from 2011.

The laws are part of the EU’s efforts to reduce its reliance on foreign energy sources and fight against global warming by becoming more efficient in its use of electricity.

The bloc has already brought in tougher energy-efficiency standards for products such as lamps.

According to commission calculation, Wednesday’s decision should reduce EU energy consumption by around 190 terawatt-hours per year by 2020 – equal to the total power used by Austria and Sweden.

The EU is committed to improving its energy efficiency by 20 percent by 2020.