Commission publishes final guidance documents for implementing the revised Energy Efficiency Directive

The Commission published today the last of 9 recommendations and guidance documents to support EU countries' work in transposing the revised Energy Efficiency Directive into national law and implementing it in practice. Today’s guidance documents specifically relate to consumer issues (under Articles 21, 22 and 24 of the new Directive) and energy services (Article 29). As with the previous recommendations, the publications are aimed at facilitating the work of national administrations by clarifying how the Commission sees the more complex aspects of the new legislation and providing a common approach or template on these new requirements in national law, across all EU countries. 

In all, the 9 guidance documents published cover the following aspects of the Energy Efficiency Directive where actions are needed to accelerate progress

• Guidance on the energy efficiency first principle (Article 3) 
• Guidance on energy efficiency targets and national contributions (Article 4) 
• Guidance on energy consumption in the public sector, renovation of public buildings and public procurement (Articles 5, 6 and 7)
• Guidance on the energy savings obligation (Articles 8-10) 
• Guidance on the energy managements systems and energy audits (Article 11) 
• Guidance on consumers related provisions (Articles 21, 22 and 24)
• Guidance on heating and cooling supply (Article 26) 
• The guidance on energy services (Article 29)
• The Guidance on national energy efficiency funds, financing and technical support (Article 30) 

As further assistance to national adminstrations, the Commission has today published a contractors’ report on good practices, detailing examples of good practices in how the new and revised provisions could be implemented.

Background

The new Energy Efficiency Directive entered into force on 10 October 2023, thus giving EU countries until 11 October 2025 to transpose the new elements of the Directive into their national legislation. Amongst other things, the revised directive raises the ambition of the EU energy efficiency target, making it binding for EU countries to collectively ensure an additional 11.7% reduction in energy consumption by 2030, compared to the projections of the EU reference scenario 2020. It also raises the annual energy savings obligation – from 1.3% in 2024/25 to 1.9% in 2028. Above all, the new rules are crucial for reaping the wider benefits from energy efficiency in terms of increasing competitiveness of EU companies, reducing energy costs for undertakings and households, making decarbonisation and energy transition cost effective and Europe more resilient by lowering dependencies on fossil fuel imports, reducing pollution and improving the health. 

Related Links

• Energy Efficiency Directive - overview
• Energy Efficiency Directive – recommendations and guidance notes