The power consumption regulation (actually giving it a grade) for vacuum cleaners is just continuation of what EU has been doing with a lot of other household appliances like dishwashers/fridges/etc. Basically once you mandate a easy to understand energy consumption rating system to some type of product people do start to care about it. Especially if you mandate that this score has to be visible on the packaging and all advertising material.

> Do you honestly believe that the average citizen wants highly paid bureaucrats in Brussels debating on how much power a vacuum cleaner should draw?

I certainly do. Wait, there is no equivalent discussion of power draw of vacuum cleaners in the US? Well, then the EU might be at the forefront of consumer electronics regulations and in the end, that's very good for me.

Yes, there is similar regulation in the US that mandates every appliance have a standardized sticker indicating energy efficiency and where each particular model falls within defined classes.

I am quite happy with a number of the "bureaucratic rules" they produce, such as allowing the ban on roaming changes between EU countries and net neutrality for example.