After a long and tough evening of negotiations between representatives of the Council and of the European Parliament, both institutions finally reached an agreement on the Energy Efficiency Directive.

 

 

"We wanted to go much further, but over the last weeks of negotiation the Council was stepping back instead of moving forward, and we accept this compromise as the only real scenario to improve energy efficiency in the near future.

 

"The Parliament's position would have meant saving over 20% of energy compared to projections by 2020. The agreement we reached with the Council will only bring a 15% saving, but this is better than not having a new directive, since our current legislation would have brought just a 9% saving.

 

"We have achieved a significant move towards the 20% target, but member states will have to do a lot more themselves as part of national strategies.

 

"Regrettably, some key demands are now voluntary instead of mandatory. It will depend on member states' will. The 3% annual renovation target is limited to central government buildings (estimated to be 10% of all public buildings), instead of all public buildings."

 

S&D vice-president Marita Ulvskog said:

 

"There will be good elements in the new directive, such as the obligation for energy companies to help to deliver new savings each year equal to 1.5% of their energy sales to final customers and the mandatory high quality energy audits of large industries.

 

"National plans must include a strategy to mobilise investment in the renovation of the national stock of residential and commercial buildings and implement policies to stimulate deep renovations of buildings. I really hope national governments will have the vision to invest in an efficient use of energy which will save many billion euros in energy imports and will at the same time create jobs in Europe.

 

"The Commission must guarantee that the 20% target is reached by 2020. If the Commission assessment of national strategies due in 2014 shows that the EU as a whole is not on target to reach the 20% objective, then it should propose binding targets."

 

The Council and the European Parliament plenary still need to give official approval to this compromise agreement.

 

 

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Associated media

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