25.3.2010   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 76/30

A.

whereas the European Union wastes more than 20 % of its energy due to inefficiency and, if the saving objective of 20 % were met, the EU would use about 400 Mtoe (million tonnes of oil equivalent) less primary energy and the CO2 emissions reduction would be about 860Mt,

B.

whereas energy consumption in combination with the national energy mix, which is mainly based on conventional energy sources, remain the main source of greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union,

C.

whereas there are increasingly complex risks concerning the security and dependence of supply in connection with the import of energy sources into the EU,

D.

whereas more incentives to invest in energy efficiency during a financial crisis or recession, and in times of volatility and unpredictability in oil prices could help stimulate the economy,

E.

whereas a rise in energy prices can become one of the main causes of poverty; whereas improvements in energy efficiency are the most effective way of reducing the vulnerability of the needy,

F.

whereas improving energy efficiency is also the most cost-effective way to attain the binding emissions reduction and renewable energy targets that the EU has set for itself,

G.

whereas improving energy efficiency and exploiting the possibilities inherent therein is in the common interest of the Member States; whereas it would be advisable to apply different sets of measures to the Member States, so as to reflect their divergent economic and climatic characteristics,

H.

whereas energy efficiency measures can only achieve the desired result if they are applied in all sectoral policies,

I.

whereas, in view of the fact that several Member States have not submitted a national energy efficiency plan, the Commission must take measures to encourage more Member States to implement decisions taken in that area,

J.

whereas the international economic crisis and the increasing volatility of energy source prices are raising the profile of energy efficiency, which may considerably improve the international competitiveness of European enterprises,

K.

whereas, according to the above-mentioned Commission Communication entitled Energy efficiency: delivering the 20 % target, there is a real danger that the energy efficiency target set for 2020 will not be met,

L.

whereas under the proposal for a directive on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources, Member States are required to promote and encourage energy efficiency and energy savings in order to achieve more easily their renewable targets,

M.

whereas residential buildings offer an energy-saving potential of approximately 27 %,

N.

whereas there are still no legally binding targets for energy efficiency, at EU or at national level,

O.

whereas there is a visible lack of capacity for implementing energy efficiency projects,

1.

Welcomes the action plans produced by the Member States; is, at the same time, concerned that the delays in submitting the plans and the contents of a number of National Action Plans point to deficiencies which might endanger the attainment of the EU’s energy efficiency and climate protection objectives; stresses that the emphasis must now be on effective implementation of measures focusing on energy efficiency, including the development of best practices and synergies, and better information and advice on energy efficiency to end users;

2.

Considers it timely that, as part of the 2009 review of the action plans, the extent to which the legislation and the action plans cover all the possibilities for economising in the area of energy efficiency, should be examined in detail, as should the division of responsibility between the Commission, Member States and the regional and local authorities in terms of implementation and enforcement;

3.

Urges the Commission to make energy efficiency and energy savings the cornerstone of the Energy Policy for Europe; welcomes the undertaking from the Commission, in the above-mentioned Communication entitled Energy efficiency: delivering the 20 % target, to prepare a revised EU action plan on energy efficiency; calls on the Commission to make the 20 % energy efficiency target by 2020 legally binding as part of the assessment it must prepare on the progress of the Community towards this target, under Decision No 406/2009/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the effort of Member States to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to meet the Community’s greenhouse gas emission reduction commitments up to 2020 (13);

4.

Welcomes the increase in the Commission’s human resources in the field of energy efficiency, which, although still insufficient to be fully operational, has resulted in an acceleration in the preparation of legislative proposals in the areas of, for example, eco-product design, the energy performance of buildings and energy labelling, the transport sector and end user installations; stresses that there is a continued need for legislation in these areas;

5.

Regards Directive 2006/32/EC as a good regulatory framework; at the same time, notes that the Directive is limited in application to the period up to 2016 and in any case is too limited in ambition to deliver the goal of at least 20 % energy efficiency improvement by 2020, so that a review in 2012, based on a comprehensive study of Member States’ experiences, is called for;

6.

Welcomes the fact that energy providers and professional associations in a number of Member States have, on the basis of the Directive, begun improving and coordinating their own smart metering systems; notes, however, that with the present regulatory framework it is unlikely that smart metering will be widely adopted by households; supports therefore the compulsory introduction of smart meters in all buildings within 10 years of the entry into force of Directive 2009/72/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning common rules for the internal market in electricity and repealing Directive 2003/54/EC (14); urges the Commission to enforce more rigorously the requirements of Article 13 of Directive 2006/32/EC in order to accelerate the roll-out of smart-metering systems;

7.

Considers it necessary for the Commission to support the compulsory introduction of smart metering, to draw up a comprehensive study of Member States’ experiences in the field; considers that future rules should impose a requirement to equip consumers’ homes with readable displays alongside the metering system and that the Commission should also devote attention to rules on compatibility of metering systems and on data communication, differentiated tariffs and microproduction;

8.

Considers that provisions which reinforce the exemplary role of the public sector should be supported; considers that, in the light of rising energy costs, energy efficiency criteria should be defined for the public procurement procedures of public sector institutions;

9.

Recognises that increasing the energy efficiency of buildings has immense potential for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the fight against climate change, in terms both of adaptation and of tackling the causes of climate change;

10.

Encourages Member States to make substantial use of alternative renewable energy sources such as wind, biomass, biofuels and also wave and tidal energy, where possible;

11.

Welcomes the Commission’s preparation to extend Directive 2002/91/EC as regards the standardisation of low-energy-intensive and net zero carbon buildings, and calls for EU-wide requirements on positive energy buildings, as these could reduce costs for end-users; urges that the exact timetable for standardisation and minimum levels of energy from renewables be set down for both new and existing buildings;

12.

Underlines that residential buildings are among the most energy-wasteful sectors and therefore urges that financial support at both national and Community levels for the energy performance of buildings be increased and existing financial incentives be compared with the commitments set out in the National Action Plans as part of the Commission’s review of Action Plans;

13.

Encourages in particular Member States and the regions to use Structural Funds to set up on their territories thematic networks in the framework of the Concerted Action provided for by the 2008 Intelligent Energy Europe Work Programme in order to be informed about practices of other EU regions as regards the efficient use of energy and to exchange know-how and experience in this domain;

14.

Stresses that energy policies in the National Action Plans addressing the residential sector should set as a priority the improvement of the envelope quality of dwellings where low income people reside, taking into account the fact that unpredictable fuel prices will seriously aggravate the economic situation of these households and may create serious social problems;

15.

Welcomes the on-schedule, ongoing additions to the legislation containing provisions on the labelling of equipment and minimum energy efficiency with regard to the Action Plan and Directive 2005/32/EC; considers it important that the range of equipment covered by the legislation be extended, alongside monitoring of consumer habits;

16.

Recommends that, in order to reduce the use of standby power, the Commission examine the possibility of regulating external power sources which supply multiple devices; calls on the Commission, in accordance with the provisions of Directive 2005/32/EC, to ensure that those provisions include the whole life cycle of the product in terms of energy efficiency consequences; in this regard, calls for this Directive to be supplemented with provisions concerning the whole life cycle, product liability and repairability;

17.

Considers it important that enterprises not governed by the European Emissions Trading Scheme be involved in increased energy efficiency, in particular where hidden costs or other difficulties hinder the market achievement of energy efficiency; in order to attain such efficiencies, considers it necessary – in addition to the extension of ecodesign – to introduce a ‘white certificates’ system; believes that, to enable this, the Commission should complete the relevant checks as soon as possible; notes the crucial role that energy efficiency can play in helping Member States to achieve their mandatory effort-sharing targets; underlines the particular potential for cost-effective reductions through improved energy efficiency in buildings;

18.

Welcomes Regulation (EC) No 443/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council setting emission performance standards for new passenger cars as part of the Community’s integrated approach to reduce CO2 emissions from light-duty vehicles (15) and the consultation on further legislation to improve the specific energy efficiency of vehicles; underlines the importance of stringent future emissions targets to be set as soon as possible in the interests of industry certainty; expresses disappointment that the 95g CO2 limit for 2020 called for by Parliament is not yet confirmed; notes, however, with concern that the new legislation will not offset the increasing energy demand for transport;

19.

Welcomes the drawing up of the Green Paper on Urban Mobility (COM(2007)0551) but notes that, in the absence of specific, quantifiable provisions, the efficiency reserves cannot be mobilised; calls on the Commission to examine how the promotion of energy-efficient urban mobility and development of public transport can play a greater role in structural and cohesion policy and how the efficiency of mobility can be assigned more weight in the conditions for Community cofinancing projects;

20.

Stresses that the spread of information and communication tools has made it possible to apply tolling methods for road freight transport which cover not only the high-speed road network; urges that the possibilities for uniform monitoring legislation for the internal market be studied;

21.

Welcomes the Commission proposal for the promotion of efficient cogeneration, but observes that promotion of this technology may play a role where it can contribute effectively to meeting useful heating needs; notes that in district heating systems the efficiency of the network is just as vital as the efficiency of equipment used on the consumer side; considers that, in allocating structural funding, considerably greater weight should in future be attached to the network efficiency of the existing district heating systems;

22.

Continues to find that individual sector policies run counter to the European Union’s endeavours to be energy efficient; is of the opinion that the same is also true in the current structure of structural and cohesion support;

23.

Considers that SMEs have an important role to play in improving energy efficiency but that they do not have the same capacity to comply with legislation or new standards in the energy sector; considers, therefore, that the facilities which will be created by the Small Business Act should also handle information and contacts with SMEs concerning energy efficiency;

24.

Calls on Member States to increase their level of ambition and turn their National Energy Efficiency Action Plans (NEEAPs) into a practical tool for delivery not only of their energy efficiency targets under Directive 2006/32/EC, but also for their wider and longer term targets, notably to improve energy efficiency by at least 20 % by 2020 and to meet binding national effort sharing targets for emissions reduction;

25.

Calls on the Member States to go beyond the minimum national indicative energy saving target of 9 % by 2016 in Directive 2006/32/EC and set clear interim targets to achieve the final target;

26.

Considers it necessary for the National Action Plans to formulate realistic, substantiated binding targets and to specify the measures to be put in place in order to ensure these targets are reached;

27.

Regards it as extremely important that the National Action Plans be adapted to geographical, climatic, economic structure and consumer characteristics, which can differ widely between regions;

28.

Stresses the relationship between energy and territorial cohesion, as pointed out in the Commission Green Paper on Territorial Cohesion (COM(2008)0616), in terms of the positive contribution made by energy efficiency measures to sustainable development and energy security, and the importance of a well-designed spatial strategy, and the creation of long-term solutions for all regions;

29.

Considers it necessary for the National Action Plans to reach the energy efficiency targets set in a cost-effective way and to guarantee the value added by State aid;

30.

Calls on the Member States to incorporate, in their existing structures for contacts between government agencies and the public, information on energy efficiency, best practice in those areas and consumer rights which have been established in the energy and climate sector;

31.

Considers it indispensable that, in contrast with the current practice of a number of Member States, the National Action Plans be prepared with the substantive involvement of local and regional governments, civil organisations and economic partners in order to ensure better grassroots implementation;

32.

Considers it important that the National Action Plans pay special attention to poverty caused by rising energy prices and guarantee suitable protection for those at risk of poverty; considers that improving energy efficiency and awareness is a vital and urgent task;

33.

Emphasises the importance of Member States including in their NEEAPs appropriate financial instruments for energy saving, as required by Article 9 of Directive 2006/32/EC; considers that these financial instruments should be designed to overcome recognised barriers to energy efficiency improvement such as the cost/benefit split between owner and tenant and the longer pay-back period required when bringing older, hard-to-treat properties up to contemporary energy efficiency standards;

34.

Considers it necessary for the National Action Plans to place special emphasis on how governments intend to promote and support energy efficiency investments on the part of SMEs; stresses, therefore, that particular account should be taken of such investments when the National Action Plans are drawn up;

35.

Notes with regret that in most Member States the funding allocated to energy efficiency projects is still insufficient and fails adequately to account for regional variances; calls on Member States and regions to focus on the implementation of their respective operational programmes on innovative measures, in order to develop cost-effective energy efficiency solutions;

36.

Stresses the need, from now on, for an effective implementation of these measures, including the development of best practices and synergies and the organisation of information exchange and coordination of the diverse and dispersed actors in the energy efficiency sector;

37.

Underlines the need for more comprehensive and clear commitments in the second National Action Plans in 2011 in order to create a favourable business environment and predictable investment conditions for market actors;

38.

Stresses that the private sector, supported by national measures, should play a prominent role in investing in and developing new, sustainable energy technologies, while also taking innovative actions to adopt an approach more focussed on energy efficiency;

39.

Stresses the strategic role of EU public authorities, in particular at regional and local level, in strengthening the implementation of the necessary institutional support for energy-efficiency initiatives, as described in Directive 2006/32/EC; recommends the strengthening of capillary information and education campaigns, for example through the use of easily understandable energy efficiency labels, and of energy-related pilot initiatives and training on the territories of those regional and local authorities who are aiming at raising citizens’ awareness and changing behaviour;

40.

Calls on the Member States to develop long-term energy efficiency awareness campaigns, focusing on efficiency in buildings, both public and private, and also on convincing the public that energy efficiency can bring them real savings;

41.

Calls on the Commission to disseminate a detailed analysis of all the first round of plans submitted so that the reasons for delays are fully known and to take strong action against further delays and omissions;

42.

Asks that the Commission examine, at Community and Member State level, the consistency of each sectoral policy with the energy efficiency objectives, considers in this context that a detailed review of Community aid schemes is indispensable;

43.

Calls on the Commission to significantly increase the proportion of the Structural Funds and the Cohesion Fund devoted under Article 7 of Regulation (EC) No 1080/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 July 2006 on the European Regional Development Fund (16) to improving the energy efficiency of existing housing, and to require the Member States to take full advantage of this option;

44.

Encourages Member States and the regions in particular to use Structural Funds to set up on their territories thematic networks in the framework of the Concerted Action provided for by the 2008 Intelligent Energy Europe Work Programme in order to be informed about practice in other EU regions as regards the efficient use of energy and to exchange know-how and experience in this domain;

45.

Asks the Commission for the next programming period of the Structural Funds to support energy-efficiency objectives, to reinforce priority criteria related to such objectives and to support the implementation of concrete measures and technologies for saving energy and fostering its efficient use, including through the promotion of partnerships in projects such as renovating buildings, modernising street lighting and ecological transport, modernising installations for urban heating and producing heating and electricity;

46.

Calls on the Commission to adopt the measures needed to equip Member States with the institutional capacity to prepare and implement effective National Action Plans, including official monitoring and quality control of individual measures, inter alia those arising from obligations relating to the energy certificates of buildings, and for supporting public education and training programmes in energy efficiency; calls on the Commission to establish a public database of Member States’ energy efficiency measures and/or of critical elements of their application;

47.

Calls on the Commission to establish minimum requirements for a harmonised template, methodology and evaluation process for NEEAPs; notes that this will reduce the administrative burden on Member States, ensure NEEAPs are well-founded and facilitate comparative analysis; believes that this harmonised template and methodology must require chapters by sector and must make a clear distinction between policies and actions on energy efficiency previously adopted by Member States on the one hand, and new and additional policies and actions on the other; points to the relevant provisions of the proposed directive on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources; stresses that the checking by the Commission and if necessary rejection of the national action plans at the moment of their submission would ensure a better quality of implementation downstream; calls for the coordination of National Action Plans and reports provided for under different legislative instruments linked with climate change objectives; calls on the Commission to cross-check the NEEAPs with other such National Action Plans and reports, including those submitted in connection with the Kyoto Protocol and the National Strategic Reference Framework documents of the Structural Funds;

48.

Calls on the Commission to develop common principles on methods to measure energy savings with due respect to the subsidiarity principle; notes that the need for quantification and verification of energy savings resulting from energy efficiency improvement measures is not only of interest within the scope of Directive 2006/32/EC, but also in relation to measuring the achievement of the 20 % energy saving objective for 2020 and any other future energy saving objectives;

49.

Urges the Commission to ensure that NEEAPs present a clear and joined-up approach, and in particular that the requirements of Directive 2002/91/EC, including any subsequent recasting, are fully integrated into the NEEAPs so that the NEEAPs propose measures that are genuinely additional to energy efficiency improvements already required under existing national and Community legislation;

50.

Urges the Commission to insist that the NEEAPs clearly state how the obligation under Directive 2006/32/EC for the public sector to play an exemplary role is to be fulfilled and if necessary to make a proposal for Community legislation which will ensure the leading role of the public sector in the area of energy efficiency investments;

51.

Invites the Commission to examine possible ways of reinforcing public procurement procedures with a set of energy efficiency conditions, to be achieved by giving priority to ‘green’ products in public contracts, including mandatory application of energy efficiency standards and mandatory inclusion of life cycle energy costs in the evaluation of investments; stresses that public authorities at all levels should be the first to set an example through the implementation of Green Public Procurement in their procedures;

52.

Calls on the Commission to study the Community resources dedicated to research and development in order to boost the resources dedicated to improving energy efficiency in the next financial perspective;

53.

Considers that the Commission should encourage those Member States which have not yet adopted their national energy efficiency plan to implement decisions which have been taken in that area;

54.

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and Commission and to the governments and Parliaments of the Member States.