Position Paper: How to make the most of the energy efficiency legislation in the ‘Clean Energy for All Europeans’ package

“Clean Energy for All” is best delivered by energy renovation of buildings. On 30 November 2016, the European Commission unveiled its Winter Package, ‘Clean Energy for all Europeans’, including proposals to review the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) and a Regulation on Governance. EuroACE published its position on these three files, together with 10 recommendations.

Rolling out ambitious energy renovation programmes will contribute to growth, more local quality jobs, and improved health, wellbeing and comfort for all Europeans. The energy renovation market in the EU is worth about €100bn annually and employs around 880,000 people. Boosting it from its current low level of activity (1% per year) to the real potential of existing buildings (3% per year) would significantly increase economic activity and job creation.

There is a once-in-a-decade opportunity to make the regulatory framework fit for accelerating investments in energy renovation. The paper includes examples from local and national level showing that the approaches suggested by EuroACE already bring tangible benefits for governments, businesses and people, and calls for real coherence between the different pieces of legislation in the Winter Package.