The Commission released in December a draft Directive aiming to boost the cost-effective and efficient energy use in the EU. The proposal sets a framework with common definitions, tools, methodology targets and obligations, both for the public and for the private sectors.
The Directive sets a target of energy saving of 1% per year, that will have to be registered from the following sectors : households, agriculture, commercial and public sectors, transport and the industry.
All types of energy will be taken into account from electricity and natural gas to district heating and cooling, heating fuel, coal and lignite, forestry and agricultural energy products and transport fuels.
Member State public sectors will have to take a particular contribution to reaching this overall target as they would need to save at least 1.5% energy a year, notably thanks to energy efficient public procurement. This savings would also contribute to the general yearly savings target of 1%.
This draft Directive has been transmitted to the Council of Ministers and the Parliament.