EED – Summary

Overview

Directive 2012/27/EU on Energy Efficiency (EED) was adopted on 25 October 2012, amending Directives 2009/125/EC and 2010/30/EU and repealing Directive 2006/32/EC (ESD) and Directive 2004/8/EC (CHP), and is to be transposed by all Member States (MS) by the beginning of June 2014.

The 2012  Directive establishes a set of binding measures to help the EU reach its 20% energy efficiency target by 2020. Under the Directive, all EU countries are required to use energy more efficiently at all stages of the energy chain, from production to final consumption.

On 30 November 2016 the Commission proposed an update to the Energy Efficiency Directive, including a new 30% energy efficiency target for 2030, and measures to update the Directive to make sure the new target is met.

Specific measures and policies

New national measures must ensure major energy savings for consumers and industry alike. For example:

• energy distributors or retail energy sales companies have to achieve 1.5% energy savings per year through the implementation of energy efficiency measures
• EU countries can opt to achieve the same level of savings through other means, such as improving the efficiency of heating systems, installing double glazed windows or insulating roofs
• the public sector in EU countries should purchase energy efficient buildings, products and services
• every year, governments in EU countries must carry out energy efficient renovations on at least 3% (by floor area) of the buildings they own and occupy
• energy consumers should be empowered to better manage consumption. This includes easy and free access to data on consumption through individual metering
• national incentives for SMEs to undergo energy audits
• large companies will make audits of their energy consumption to help them identify ways to reduce it
• monitoring efficiency levels in new energy generation capacities.

The Concerted Action (CA) for the EED provides a structured framework for the exchange of information between the 27 Member States plus Norway and the UK during their implementation of the Directive.

Each Member State will be able to share its knowledge and experience, and draw on that of others, in order to adopt the most successful approaches towards implementing the Directive and avoid pitfalls highlighted by others.

(available in multiple languages)