Energy end-use efficiency and energy services

This Commission Staff Working Document provides a synthesis of the complete assessments of all 27 National Energy Efficiency Action Plans (NEEAPs) as required by Directive 2006/32/EC on energy end-use efficiency and energy services.

The Commission recognises the great potential that NEEAPs could play in improving the focus on energy efficiency and in streamlining Member States' efforts supporting citizens and market actors in saving energy in a cost-effective manner, thus reducing emissions of greenhouse gases, increasing the competitiveness of European businesses, creating jobs and retaining jobs and improving the energy security of the Community.

Furthermore, the current climate seems to provide the perfect opportunity to bring together all energy efficiency reporting requirements – existing and new – into one Action Plan, providing one single reporting system for monitoring and evaluation of progress. Such a coordinated approach would greatly assist Member States in fulfilling their reporting obligations concerning greenhouse gas emissions and would improve implementation of measures.

According to the Commission, a successful Action Plan would:

• place energy efficiency policy firmly within the broader policy context;
• prioritise resource allocation across the entire energy efficiency portfolio;
• ensure that synergies between policies are captured and duplication avoided, and that clear responsibilities for implementation is allocated;
• place consumers at the heart of the proposed policies.

However, few, if any, of the Action Plans delivered by Member States fit this description. Given the growing importance of energy savings to energy security and sustainable development of the Community, the Commission urges Member States to act quickly – especially given the recent economic downturn and notably concerning investments in energy efficiency which is set to retain and create jobs in a local context – and would welcome Member States taking the initiative to further improve their NEEAPs and their implementation.