Brussels, 13thJuly2009

The Energy Efficiency Watch (EEW) has published its final report on the National Energy Efficiency Action Plans (NEEAPs). The report, written by Wuppertal Institute and Ecofys, contains the results of the in-depth evaluation of 12 NEEAPs. Having previously screened all 27 plans submitted by European Member States, the report assessed the selected NEEAPs in order to come to good practice results. These are supposed to serve as advice for the second round of NEEAPs which shall be submitted to the European Commission in June 2011. The report concludes by calling for a standardised reporting format for those plans.

The Directive 2006/32/EC on Energy End-Use Efficiency and Energy Services (ESD) aims at enhancing the cost-effective improvement of energy end-use efficiency in Member States of the EU. In the context of the ESD, Member States were called to set an indicative 9% target, to provide mechanisms, incentives and institutional, legal and financial frameworks to achieve this target and also to create the conditions for the development and promotion of markets for energy services. All those elements had to be compiled in the NEEAPs, the first of which had to be submitted by June 2007.

After the NEEAPs of all 27 Member States had been screened, 12 plans were evaluated in depth by the EEW consortium. The selection of countries was made based on several criteria (size, GDP, geographical location, upcoming EU presidencies). The selected countries were: Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden and the UK.

The report concludes that due to the lack of a standardised format of the NEEAPs, the plans are very different with regard to structure and the amount of information provided. There is also often a methodological gap between the calculation of the energy saving targets and the measures listed to achieve those.The authors also express their doubts for the achievementof the targets that are non-binding in comparison to the binding 20% renewable energy share and 20% CO2 reduction target for 2020.

However, positive features are that many of the plans contain coherent policy measures. The NEEAPs also allow a mutual learning among the Member States, especially with regard to the next round of plans foreseen in June 2011. While the first NEEAP had to provide only basic information on targets and measures, the second and third plan will require additional information e.g. on the evaluation of the impacts of the preceding NEEAP, or on the final results with regard to the fulfillment of the indicative energy savings target.

The report concludes by calling for a stronger pre-structuring of the NEEAPs by European Commission in terms of a template that would both facilitate the development of the plans and the evaluation of the impacts of measures listed.

The full report and more information is available at the EEW project website.

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 informs about the results and offers 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 organisation 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