EC moves against 12 governments for inaction on energy efficiency
18/10/07

The European Commission today launched infringement procedures against Belgium, Estonia, France, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden, for failure to notify their national Energy Efficiency Action Plan more than three months after 30 June 2007, the date required by the 2006 Energy End-Use Efficiency and Energy Services Directive. The Action Plans should present national strategies on how to achieve at minimum a 9% energy savings target by the end of 2016, as well as how Member States comply with a number of other provisions of the Directive. Several governments, including Denmark and Germany, have set far more ambitious targets.

"National Energy Efficiency Action Plans show the commitment of Member States to the cleanest, cheapest and most secure of energies – the energy that we do not use. I am very disappointed to see that 12 Member States have yet to notify their plan", said energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs.

The purpose of the Directive is to make cost-effective improvements to energy end-use efficiency in Member States. Proper implementation of the Directive should create the necessary conditions for the development and promotion of a market for energy services and for the delivery of other energy efficiency measures to final consumers. It will also make important contributions to security of energy supply, competitiveness and sustainable development.

Although the Commission has indicated that several Member States are well advanced in the drafting of their National Energy Efficiency Action Plan, their failure to meet the 30 June deadline obliges the Commission to seek legal action.

The Commission’s action was welcomed by EuroACE, the European Alliance of Companies for Energy Efficiency in Buildings. “There have been too many words from too many governments about their commitment to improving energy efficiency – not least at the heads of government meeting only last  March – and not nearly enough action. Commissioner Piebalgs is to be applauded for challenging all these governments to turn their fine rhetoric into positive policies.