Brussels, 18/06/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 18 June, the European Commission decided to refer Greece to the EU Court of Justice for failing to transpose into national law the 2012 energy efficiency directive under which member states are required to meet certain energy savings targets over the period from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2020.
These savings must be made by using energy efficiency obligations schemes or other targeted policy measures to drive energy efficiency improvements in households, buildings, industry and transport. The directive had to be fully transposed by 5 June 2014.
Referring Greece to the Court, the Commission proposes a daily penalty of €29,145.60. If the transposition remains incomplete and the Court upholds the Commission's view, the daily penalty would have to be paid from the date of the judgment or a later date set by the Court until transposition is complete. The final amount of the daily penalty will be decided by the Court but cannot be greater than the amount proposed by the Commission.
Final warning for Germany. The Commission also decided on Thursday to call on Germany to ensure full transposition of the energy efficiency directive. Germany will now have two months to comply, otherwise the Commission may decide to refer it to the EU Court of Justice and ask for financial penalties.
Progress on transposing the energy efficiency directive is currently under examination in all member states. In total, 27 states (all except Malta) have received a letter of formal notice for failing to fully transpose the directive within the deadline. So far, the Commission issued eight reasoned opinions (to Austria, Portugal, Bulgaria, Croatia, Ireland, Romania, Latvia and today, Germany) and has referred two member states to Court (Hungary in March 2015 and Greece on Thursday). (Emmanuel Hagry)