Brussels, 14/06/2012 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament (EP) and the Council have reached agreement on a draft energy efficiency directive in part emptied of its substance by the member states.
Thus the Danish Presidency has achieved success in one of the priorities of its programme. After six trialogue meetings in April and May, the EP and the Council came to agreement in the night of 13 to 14 June on the energy efficiency directive to help the EU bridge the gap between its indicative target of 20% savings in energy by 2020 and the 9.1% that measures currently in place will be able to achieve.
As it stands, the directive negotiated - on the basis of a rather ambitious proposal by the Commission (tabled in June 2011, see EUROPE 10403), between an even more ambitious EP (the energy committee's position was adopted in February 2012, see EUROPE 10563) and a Council dominated by reluctant member states - will mean that 17% energy savings can be achieved, including the contribution of the transport sector, with the reduction of carbon emissions from light passenger vehicles. In a separate statement, the Commission will propose eco-design measures to bridge the gap with the 20% target.
In its broad thrust, the energy efficiency directive requires member states to set their own targets and to submit national action plans in 2014, 2017 and 2020. In 2014, the Commission will take stock of progress made and, if necessary, propose further measures, including binding national targets. In addition, the directive requires public buildings to be substantially renovated, though only those of central government will come under this obligation. The directive also requires energy distributors and suppliers to reduce their customers' annual consumption by 1.5%. While member states have won numerous exemptions on this measure, restricted to 25% of the energy savings it allows, this provision will be reviewed in 2016. The text makes provision, too, for binding financial instruments and for customers to be provided with better information, by means of smart meters.
Though pointing the finger at the role played by Germany and the United Kingdom in lowering the level of ambition of the directive within Council, EP rapporteur Claude Turmes (Greens/EFA, Luxembourg) hailed an agreement which “will give a boost to Europe's economy and help to achieve our energy security and climate goals”. It will also make broader economic sense, “stimulating economic activity and creating millions of jobs, whilst bringing down energy bills for businesses and households”. (EH/transl.rt)