Case C‑561/16

Saras Energía SA

v

Administración del Estado

(Request for a preliminary ruling from the Tribunal Supremo)

Reference for a preliminary ruling — Directive 2012/27/EU — Article 7(1), (4) and (9) — Article 20(4) and (6) — Promotion of energy efficiency — Energy efficiency obligation scheme — Other policy measures — Energy Efficiency National Fund — Establishment of such a fund as the principal measure implementing energy efficiency obligations — Contribution obligation — Designation of the obligated parties — Energy distributors and/or retail energy sales companies)

Summary — Judgment of the Court (Second Chamber), 7 August 2018

1. Energy—Promotion of energy efficiency—Directive 2012/27—Energy efficiency obligation schemes—Other public policy measures—National legislation establishing, as the principal measure implementing energy efficiency obligations, a system of annual contributions to an Energy Efficiency National Fund—Lawfulness—Conditions

   (European Parliament and Council Directive 2012/27, Arts 7 and 20)

2. Energy—Promotion of energy efficiency—Directive 2012/27—Energy efficiency obligation schemes—Other public policy measures—Designation of the obligated parties—National legislation placing energy efficiency obligations on only certain specified undertakings in the energy sector—Lawfulness—Conditions—Objective and non-discriminatory criteria—To be determined by the national court

   (European Parliament and Council Directive, Art. 7)

1.  Articles 7 and 20 of Directive 2012/27/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 on energy efficiency, amending Directives 2009/125/EC and 2010/30/EU and repealing Directives 2004/8/EC and 2006/32/EC must be interpreted as meaning that they do not preclude national legislation which lays down, as the principal method of fulfilling energy efficiency obligations, a mechanism of annual contribution to an Energy Efficiency National Fund, provided, on the one hand, that that legislation ensures the achievement of energy savings to an extent equivalent to the energy efficiency obligation schemes which may be implemented under Article 7(1) of that directive, and, on the other, that the requirements of Article 7(10) and (11) of that directive, are satisfied, which it is for the referring court to ascertain.

   (see para. 37, operative part 1)

2.  Article 7 of Directive 2012/27 must be interpreted as meaning that it does not preclude national legislation, such as that at issue in the main proceedings, which imposes energy efficiency obligations on only certain specific undertakings in the energy sector, provided that the designation of those companies as obligated parties is actually based on explicitly stated, objective and non-discriminatory criteria, which it is for the referring court to ascertain.

   (see para. 55, operative part 2)