Belgium, (Brussels Morning Newspaper) EU bodies have reached a provisional agreement on new energy efficiency rules to strengthen the green push.
The European Commission welcomed the agreement with EU Parliament and Council in a statement on Friday, stressing that it shows the bloc’s commitment to reach climate neutrality by 2050.
“For the first time, the energy efficiency first principle is given legal strength with a clear requirement for EU countries to take energy efficiency into consideration in policy, planning, and major investment decision in the energy sector and beyond,” the EC pointed out.
The body noted that the agreement requires bloc members to cut energy consumption more than planned in 2020 and added “the annual energy savings obligation nearly doubles to ensure continual progress” toward environmental goals.
Frans Timmermans, European Commissioner for Climate Action, stated that “saving energy is a key step to saving the planet.”
“In recent months, Europeans have shown that they are ready and able to face this challenge and our industry has proven that it can optimize its energy use and production processes,” he added and concluded, “we now need energy efficiency to become an even more systemic part of our society and this revised directive helps us to do that.”
Importance of energy efficiency
European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson pointed out that “energy efficiency is key for achieving full decarbonization of the EU economy and independence from Russian fossil fuels.”
She expressed the belief that new rules will help the bloc to reach ambitious environmental targets and “be an important driver of competitiveness and strengthen the security of supply.”
Simson concluded that EC’s proposal will address the negative social effects of the green push by ensuring that “our clean energy transition is accessible to all, including the most vulnerable.”
The Commission pointed out that the EU Parliament and Council still need to give formal approval before new rules come into force, noting that they introduce a definition of energy poverty.
According to new rules, EU member states will have to prioritize helping people who fit the definition to implement energy efficiency measures.
The Commission concluded that “revised rules put a stronger focus on alleviating energy poverty and empowering consumers, including the creation of one-stop-shops for technical and financial assistance and out-of-court mechanisms for the settlement of disputes.”
