Proposal for the new Energy Efficiency Directive launched

On 22 June 2011, a new set of measures for increased Energy Efficiency is proposed by the European Commission to fill the gap and put the EU back on track with its objective to achieve 20% of energy savings by 2020. The proposal for the new directive brings forward measures to step up Member States efforts to use energy more efficiently at all stages of the energy chain – from the transformation of energy and its distribution to its final consumption.

The Commission highlights that the public authorities should lead by example and therefore public bodies should push for the market uptake of energy efficient products and services through a legal obligation to purchase energy efficient buildings, products and services. They will also have to progressively reduce the energy consumed on their own premises by carrying out every year the required renovation works covering at least 3% of their total floor area. This ambitious target has already been questioned by the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR).

The directive also recognises the role of municipalities and highlights that integrated approaches to energy saving and energy supply have already been put in place for example via the sustainable energy action plans (SEAPs) developed within the Covenant of Mayors initiative.

Further information on the directive here