Review of the Energy Efficiency Directive

Key points

• The EESC welcomes the proposal for recasting the Energy Efficiency Directive, as it addresses an area of action that is key to achieving full decarbonisation of the EU economy and society, while also setting out the leading role of the public sector, including local and regional authorities.
• The Committee appreciates the greater emphasis on informing and empowering consumers, for example in the area of contract requirements or the use of clear and comprehensible language. It stresses the important role of civil society in information campaigns on the benefits of energy efficiency.
• The EESC also supports the incentives and tools for implementation of the Energy Efficiency Directive to help vulnerable customers and households. At the same time, it points out that ambitious targets for district heating/cooling may worsen the conditions of social housing. The Committee therefore welcomes the proposal to create the Social Climate Fund, and calls for compliance with the "just transition" principle, to take into account the different situations of Member States.