Brussels, Monday 26th January 2009
The EEW Project published its evaluation results in the EEW Brochure "Promoting EnergyEfficiency in Europe" which shall serve as an advice and information tool and is availablenow. One major conclusion of the Brochure is the need for successful implementation of the measures presented in the National Energy Efficiency Action Plans (NEEAPs).
The goal of the EEW project is to ensure ambitious NEEAPs in all EU Member States by offering advice in conferences and parliamentary events. The first major event is the Energy Efficiency Watch Conference on the 26th and 27th February 2009 in Wels, Austria within the World Sustainable Energy Days (WSED).
"Europe is at a crucial point to define its energy future," say the EUFORES" Presidents Mechtild Rothe (Vice-President of the European Parliament, President of EUFORES), Claude Turmes (MEP, Vice-President of EUFORES) and Fiona Hall (MEP, Vice-President of EUFORES) in the opening letter of the brochure. "Energy efficiency is the quickest, cheapest and most direct way to turn these challenges into real opportunities."
The brochure summarises the EEW evaluation results of the NEEAPs which the Energy Efficiency and Energy Service Directive (ESD) required Member States to submit in 2007. It shows good practice examples in the transport and public sectors, the advantages of financial incentives, market-based approaches, voluntary agreements, the need for a dynamisation of standards and more. The brochure is now available in English. Spanish, French, Polish and Czech versions will
be available in mid February as well at: http://www.energy-efficiency-watch.org/index.php?id=49.
After the submission of the first round of NEEAPs by EU Member States, the key for success of national policies will be their correct implementation. Furthermore, the project strives to provide support to Member States by offering advice on good practices of energy efficiency policies. The goal is to help generating stronger plans and political commitment in the second round of NEEAPs foreseen in 2011. In this context the EEW project can play an important role. "We are convinced that the results of the EEW will contribute significantly to raising awareness of energy
efficiency, enhancing a mutual learning process among EU Member States, and helping Europe to reach its 2020 targets, " continue the EUFORES Presidents.
The first Energy Efficiency Watch Conference 26th and 27th February 2009 in Wels, Austria will be an important step towards these aims. It will analyse European energy efficiency potentials, present recent developments in energy efficiency policies and technologies and present the results from the analysis of the 27 NEEAPs. It will also provide a forum for discussion for Parliamentarians
from the European, the national and regional levels and representatives of Member
States governments and administrations as well as high-level experts. The Conference will be held in the framework of the World Sustainable Energy Days, one of the largest annual conferences in Europe on sustainable energy use and production. Information and registration for the Conference at: www.wsed.at
Background
Energy Efficiency Watch
In September 2007 the Energy Efficiency Watch (EEW) project following a Parliamentary call was officially launched. The EEW project, coordinated by EUFORES, monitors and highlights good practice of political and legislative measures, instruments and activities in the field of energy efficiency. In a second step it will inform about the results and offer advice on the drafting and implementation of the NEEAPs.
The Energy Efficiency Watch project is supported by Parliamentarians, the European Commission as well as by various NGOs and industry associations.
About EUFORES
EUFORES - the European Forum for Renewable Energy Sources - is a European parliamentary network and an independent Non-Profit Organization aimed at promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency in
Europe.
For more information, please contact: Dr. Jan Geiss, Energy-Efficiency-Watch, c/o EUFORES, Tel:
+32-2-5461948, jgeiss@eufores.org, www.energy-efficiency-watch.org