The European Parliament adopted by 434 votes to 104 with 37 abstentions a legislative resolution on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2012/27/EU on energy efficiency.
The European Parliament’s position adopted at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure amended the Commission proposal as follows:
Indicative energy efficiency target: Directive 2012/27/EU as amended would establish a common framework of measures for the promotion of energy efficiency in the Union to ensure that the Union's main objectives of improving energy efficiency by 20% by 2020 and by at least 32.5% by 2030 are achieved.
By 2023 at the latest, the Commission shall assess this objective in order to revise it upwards in the event of a substantial reduction in costs or where this is necessary to meet with the Union's international commitments for decarbonation. There would be no binding targets set at Member State level by 2020 and 2030, and Member States would remain free to set their national contributions on the basis of primary or final energy consumption, or primary or final energy savings, or energy intensity.
Member States shall define their national indicative contributions taking into account that the Union's energy consumption in 2030 shall not exceed 1 273 Mtoe of primary energy and/or 956 Mtoe of final energy. This means that primary energy consumption in the Union shall be reduced by 26% and final energy consumption by 20% compared to 2005 levels.
Energy savings obligation: the energy savings obligation has an important role in the creation of local growth and jobs, and shall be maintained to ensure that the Union can achieve its energy and climate objectives by creating further opportunities and to break the link between energy consumption and growth.
Member States shall achieve a cumulative end-use energy savings target at least equivalent to:
Member States shall be able to make use of an energy efficiency obligation scheme, alternative policy measures, or both. The amended text provides various options, including whether energy used in transport is included, in whole or in part, in the calculation baseline, shall be provided in order to give Member States flexibility in how they calculate the amount of their energy savings, whilst ensuring that the required cumulative end-use energy savings equivalent to new annual savings of at least 0.8 % are reached.
In designing policy measures to fulfil their obligations to achieve energy savings, Member States shall take into account the need to alleviate energy poverty (which affects around 50 million households in the Union), in accordance with criteria established by them, by requiring a share of energy efficiency measures be implemented as a priority among vulnerable households, including those affected by energy poverty and, where appropriate, in social housing.
Consumer information: the amended Directive reinforces the minimum right of consumers to have accurate, reliable and clear information on their energy consumption in a timely manner.
Where meters or heat cost allocators are installed, Member States shall ensure that billing and consumption information is reliable, accurate and based on actual consumption or heat cost allocator readings, namely:
At the latest 22 months after the date of entry into force of the amending Directive, newly installed heat meters and heating cost allocators shall be remotely readable to ensure that consumers have frequent and cost-effective consumption information.