MEPs give green light to negotiate energy efficiency bill

Social-Democrat MEP Pavel Poc, who has been closely involved in the negotiations, said: "Despite all the discussions, communitarian attitude has won the day. Now we have to explain the Directive to other MEPs who haven't been involved in the process yet and persuade Member states that it is good for them to have lower energy bills and that they need to adopt the binding targets as well."

Brook Riley, energy campaigner for Friends of the Earth Europe, said: “MEPs could have gone further but this is a good result. The Parliament knows the benefits of energy savings, such as savings in fuel bills and CO2 emission cuts, won’t happen without legally binding targets. MEPs now have the negotiating mandate to make a good deal with the European Council.”

Monica Frassoni, president of the European Alliance to Save Energy, said: "MEPs have taken a positive step to support the development of a European energy efficiency market today.  This Directive now has the potential to deliver rapid results to help create jobs and put our economies back on a sustainable track, member state governments must not put this opportunity at risk in the next stage of the decision making process by lowering the ambition of this law."

“Today’s result is not perfect, but it gives MEPs a strong mandate for negotiating with national governments,” said Erica Hope, of Climate Action Network Europe. “Strong measures and targets will help deliver the needed savings to people and businesses.”

“This directive is a key opportunity to depart from the current situation in which utility companies have a structural interest in selling ever more energy,” said Agathe Ernoult, the European Environmental Bureau's energy policy officer. “Changing this business model is the only way to address the increasing financial and environmental costs of producing energy. We urge decision makers to live up to the challenge,” Ernoult said.

Commenting on the vote, European association of local authorities Energy Cities said: “The potential for energy efficiency is huge. So the question is: do we want our money for energy resources to be spent outside the EU, or do we want it spent locally, on energy saving and efficiency measures? Local authorities are ready to lead by example, by committing themselves to going even beyond the 3x20 target hence helping Europe out of the crisis. Will the EU and all member states show the same desire, willingness and enthusiasm to fight this battle with the necessary intensity?”

Jason Anderson, WWF’s head of European Climate and Energy Policy, said: “The Energy Efficiency Directive is key to delivering Europe’s energy security and a cost-effective way out of the climate crisis. The European Parliament must continue strengthening the proposed legislation by supporting a binding 20% energy savings target and making sure that energy bills in existing buildings are cut substantially."

Monique Goyens, director general of European consumer organisation BEUC said: “MEPs have clearly understood that it will require the engagement of consumers to reduce Europe’s energy consumption. Changing consumer behaviour is not as simple as switching off the light. If Parliament’s position will make it to the finish line, consumers can expect their governments to draw up plans to make energy bills more informative, offer fiscal incentives to save energy or to set up one single contact point for energy advice. The ball is now in the Council’s court and we urge them to confirm the Parliament’s rules.”

Speaking after the Parliament’s vote, Stefan Scheuer, secretary-general of the Coalition for Energy Savings, said: “This is an unambiguous message from the Parliament. The Council must now follow this lead. Doing so would allow Europe to move to a new energy model based on energy savings and to use the €400 billion a year currently spent on fossil fuel imports to invest in EU’s economic and financial recovery."

German draftsman of the opinion given by the Environment Committee on the energy efficiency bill, Peter Liese, said: "Unfortunately, discussion in council tends to another direction. Most of the member states want to weaken the Commission proposal. That will definitely lead to conflict. Regarding the instruments we are flexible, but member states should not only say what they do not want to have".

Commenting on the measures agreed in the bill for providing better consumer information, John Harris, of smart metering company Landis+Gyr said: “Smart metering is essential for energy efficiency gains, but we will only be able to get the full energy savings potential if our system is equipped with the correct functionality and the appropriate services. We need a clear definition of smart meters so we are able to deploy technology capable of contributing to the EU’s climate and energy goals.”