Energy Efficiency Directive: final agreement could have been more ambitious, but is an important step forward

The Renew Europe Group welcomes today’s interinstitutional agreement on the recast of the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED), a key driver within the framework of the Fit for 55 package to ensure the EU's progress towards climate neutrality by 2050, which aims to reduce overall energy use, cutting emissions and tackling energy poverty.

The 11.7% energy efficiency target agreed by the co-legislators is an important improvement that will cut greenhouse gas emissions, reduce demand for energy imports and lower domestic and economy-wide costs. Yet Renew Europe regrets the Council’s lack of ambition; they were unable to agree upon the baseline set by the Commission in REPowerEU of a 13% energy reduction target by 2030. Nonetheless, we endorse the agreement, as given the current climate and energy emergency, it is better to preserve a less ambitious compromise than accept no agreement at all.

Likewise, Renew Europe has defended that the energy saving efforts should fall under the responsibility of all concerned stakeholders: citizens, business, industry, but also the public sector. In this sense, Member States shall ensure that the total final energy consumption of all public administration bodies combined is reduced by at least 1.9% each year. Thanks to Renew Europe's efforts, the final agreement also foresees that energy efficiency measures will be stepped up to ensure a smooth transition that focuses on our SMEs and industries, a vital engine for sustaining European economic growth.

MEP Nicola Danti (Italia Viva, Italy), Renew Europe Vice-President and ITRE shadow rapporteur on this file, declared:

“The cheapest energy is the energy that we don’t use. New efficiency targets will reduce the EU’s dependency on Russian gas and fossil fuels, lower the bills for our citizens and our companies and contribute to the EU’s climate and energy goals. We are satisfied with the deal, despite the Council’s push to lower the ambition of the Directive, failing to consider that money spent in energy efficiency is not a cost, but rather an investment. Climate change and energy transition is one of the biggest challenges of this century. Renew Europe will remain vigilant”