How low can you go? EU Member States fall short on their own commitments again

On 26 June 2017, EU energy ministers agreed on a General Approach for the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) and the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED). The widely feared watering down of the original proposals happened, with ministers backing down from any further ambition. Member States failed to put in place the legal framework to support their existing commitments under the Paris Agreement.

Although Member States confirmed the 30% energy efficiency headline target for 2030, they postponed a decision on whether to make it binding, and significantly diluted the energy savings obligation in Article 7, creating uncertainty for businesses and investors and making the energy transition more expensive.

“Member States have established a risky position in relation to 2050 goals, deleting the reference in the EED at a time when the EPBD finally starts addressing the long-term renovation challenge that is facing the EU,” said Adrian Joyce, EuroACE Secretary General. “This contradictory stance sends confusing signals to the market at a time when it needs clear, unambiguous policy to boost confidence and investments.”

EuroACE continued to work closely with the European Parliament to ensure its position would be strong enough to deliver final directives reflecting the level of ambition needed.