Energy efficiency is a triple win: for our climate, competitiveness, and security. Without improvements in energy efficiency over the last 20 years, the EU’s energy consumption today would have been about 27% higher.
Despite the undeniable advantages of energy efficiency and the progress achieved to date, several challenges persist, hindering progress towards the 2030 energy efficiency targets.
Energy efficiency roadmap
Commissioner for Energy and Housing, Dan Jørgensen, reaffirmed a renewed commitment to energy efficiency at the IEA Global Energy Efficiency Conference in Brussels on 13 June 2025.
Since then, the Commission has focused its work on 10 concrete areas to accelerate energy efficiency action.
10 energy efficiency areas
1. Support and simplify implementation
The Commission will streamline the implementation of EU energy efficiency rules in the coming years, including the Energy Efficiency Directive, the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive and Ecodesign and Energy Labelling. It will support EU countries with guidance, task forces, concerted action and simplification tools to ensure effective and aligned implementation.
2. Mainstream energy efficiency in EU energy policymaking
The Commission will continue to integrate energy efficiency into broader EU energy strategies, such as the Grids Package, the Electrification Action Plan and the Heating and Cooling Strategy, to ensure its consistent and systemic application across sectors.
3. Strengthen sector-specific policies and product standards
This includes raising standards for buildings, products, data centres and heating and cooling, by updating regulations, tackling barriers and promoting high-efficiency solutions.
4. Facilitate financing and investment
The Commission continues to mobilise public and private capital, with the support of the European Investment Bank (EIB). This is achieved through coalitions, national hubs, investment platforms, and the development of new investment tools designed to scale up energy efficiency, such as
- the Energy Efficiency in SMEs initiative, launched in November 2025
- the Clean Energy Investment Strategy, launched in March 2026
The European Energy Efficiency Financing Coalition is also exploring new market approaches, including
- demand activation and tailored services designed for SMEs
- innovative business models for energy efficiency service providers to better reach target groups
5. Enhance collaboration and cooperation
Starting with the Energy Efficiency Day on 20 May 2025, the Commission pursues structured dialogue and agreements between governments, industry and finance actors to jointly accelerate energy efficiency implementation.
The Efficiency Action Forum 2030, launched in December 2025, is a platform supporting EU countries in the practical implementation of EU energy efficiency policies. It has brought together senior officials through a series of thematic meetings, enabling the exchange of concrete challenges, best practices and solutions, and helping to accelerate delivery on the ground.
At COP30 in Brazil in November 2025, the Commission and the Solar Impulse Foundation released the joint publication Energy Efficiency: The Silent Money Maker. It highlights concrete and economically viable solutions to improve energy efficiency across buildings, industry and cities, featuring real examples from EU-supported projects under Horizon Europe, the LIFE Programme and the ELENA facility.
6. Create a tradable energy efficiency market
As announced in the Affordable Energy Action Plan, the Commission will explore systems like white certificates and auctions to reward energy savings, attract investment, and turn efficiency into a market-driven commodity. The implemented measures of the Action Plan are listed and updated regularly.
7. Develop skills for energy efficiency
The Commission will actively support EU countries in closing the skills gap, including through national training plans and toolkits.
8. Boost research and innovation funding and partnerships
Foster research and innovation in energy efficiency technologies to drive next-generation energy efficiency solutions in buildings and industry.
9. Promote international cooperation
The Commission leverages global partnerships to spread best practices on energy-efficient solutions in high-impact sectors, like buildings and efficient products. To deliver on the Global Pledge, the Commission will actively promote energy efficiency at COP31, including through collaboration with the Global South.
10. Increase energy efficiency awareness
Energy efficiency is a policy framework that translates into tangible, meaningful measures and actions at all levels of government. For citizens and businesses to fully reap its benefits, they need to be well informed about the existing rights – and obligations. This is why the Commission continues to promote the many aspects of energy efficiency, through examples, facts and figures, striving to reach citizens, small and medium sized enterprises and local communities. The LIFE publication ‘Giving LIFE to Europe’s clean energy transition’ (February 2026) also provides good examples through its 28 inspiring projects.
An « Efficiency Action Forum 2030 » with EU countries - launched in December 2025.
Preparing the ground for energy efficiency tripartite contracts – which would provide the framework for faster roll-out of energy efficiency measures across various sectors
Launching an energy efficiency guarantee scheme for small and medium sized enterprises.
Boosting the energy services market – a first pilot as part of the Clean Industrial Deal package and Affordable Energy Action Plan deliverable
Putting forward a data centre energy efficiency package - its publication is planned for end of May 2026.
The Electrification Action Plan and the Heating and Cooling Strategy - with industrial energy efficiency actions helping to reduce overall electricity demand from electrification by 10–20% and unlock 11% of EU heat demand from waste heat recovery (Q2 2026).