A wide stakeholder coalition representing professional organisations and NGOs sent an open letter to the European heads of state calling for the inclusion of energy efficiency in the EU’s strategy towards a smart, sustainable and inclusive economic future.

Background:

In the wake of the June European Council, representatives of a range of business and professional associations and civil society interests expressed their disappointment as Member States did not pay more attention to energy saving when they endorsed the Europe 2020 strategy for steering the EU towards a smart, sustainable and inclusive economic future.

However, improving energy efficiency to help meet the EU’s target of lowering energy use by 20% by 2020 is a win-win-win solution by generating a million new, local jobs, reducing imported energy dependency and helping Europe and its businesses take the lead in the global race for innovative and sustainable products. This perfectly responds to the objectives of the new 2020 objectives.

On behalf of PU Europe, one of the signatories, Oliver Loebel commented, “Member States are increasingly reluctant to incentivise energy efficiency measures while struggling to reduce their public deficits. On the other hand, there is increasing evidence that public money spent on support schemes for end-users has a positive return on investment even for governments”.

The stakeholder coalition is concerned that, at current rates, only half of the indicative 20% savings target will be achieved. The consequence of this failure will be an unnecessary additional cost to consumers of 78 billion Euros annually.

New research shows that a three-fold increase in policy impact will be needed to achieve the 20% target. The next months therefore represent a narrow window of opportunity: the forthcoming Energy Action Plan and review of the 2006 Energy Efficiency Action Plan must set out the framework and new legislation to ensure that the savings gap is closed.

“Making the 20% target mandatory, as again called for by the European Parliament last week, would be a first crucial step”, Loebel concluded.

For more details, please contact

PU Europe

Email: secretariat@pu-europe.eu 

ebsite: www.pu-europe.eu

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22 June 2010