On Thursday 28 August, sixty-seven industry leaders and twenty-six national and European associations from the energy efficiency sector sent a letter to the Danish Presidency of the EU Council, the Permanent Representations of the Member States and European Commissioners Wopke Hoekstra and Dan Jørgensen - responsible for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth and Energy and Housing respectively - calling for maintaining the “Energy Efficiency First (EE1st) principle” in the European Climate Law’s revision (see EUROPE 13672/1).
As reported in the letter, the compromise prepared by the Danish Presidency on 31 July removed any explicit reference to this principle, even though it is established in European legislation.
According to the signatories, this would limit the regulatory framework’s coherence and risk slowing down current investments. The letter states that the industry needs consistent, long-term political and legislative support in order to be able to invest in and contribute to the 2030 and 2040 targets.
It also points out that the industry accounts for 1.2 million direct local jobs and annual sales of around €150 billion. In addition, it saves households money and reduces gas imports.
According to the organisations, the principle of giving priority to energy efficiency is essential to ensure a credible path towards climate neutrality in 2050. As Julie Kjestrup, president of Efficient Buildings Europe, pointed out in a statement to the press: “Ambition on climate, with a strong focus on energy efficiency, is not a hindrance, but a facilitator for growth”.
Link to the letter: https://aeur.eu/f/i67 (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)