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Energy Efficiency Directive vote- one step towards binding rules for energy efficiency |
 29.02.2012 - On 28 February, MEPs in the European Parliament Energy Committee (ITRE) voted to considerably strenghten the draft on Energy Efficiency Directive (EED). The main success of yesterday’s vote was to make the 20% target binding, with national sub-targets and trajectories for the Member States. Binding measures have also been approved to implement the overall target, which are essential since the Council is almost uncertain not to support binding targets. Member States will have to set out a roadmap for achieving 80% energy savings in buildings by 2050, with a binding deep renovation (deemed as a 75% improvement in energy performance). There will be a renovation rate of 2.5% per year for all public buildings, with a view to stimulating innovation and cost reductions of energy savings technologies. The renovation rate for public bodies has dropped from 3% (COM proposal) to 2.5% but the Parliament has added that the renovations must be deep or staged (Article 4). Energy suppliers or distributors will be tasked with delivering cumulative 1.5% annual savings across all end use sectors, including transport. Governments have flexibility in determining how this is achieved. The implementation of this measure could realise up to 110 MTOE in savings. Binding financial instruments and better and more transparent consumer information, such as the use of smart meters, are among the other detailed measures adopted. However, even if the EED moved with one step further, the hard negotiations with the Council are about to start as MEPs also voted to go straight into negotiations with the European Council, rather than needing to have a plenary vote first. To succeed, the directive will have to satisfy national governments that are less supportive of binding efficiency legislation. After the vote, Claude Turmes, the rapporteur of the Directive, said: "Today's vote provides a strong mandate for the EP in its negotiations with the Council on the final legislation. We have lost enough time: it is time for EU governments to start delivering real energy savings and a robust energy efficiency directive will be crucial to this end."
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