Feeble EU Energy Efficiency Directive set to fail

22 June 2011
by foeeurope -- last modified 22 June 2011

A new draft European Directive on energy efficiency published by the European Commission today (Wednesday 22 June) is too timid even to deliver on the EU's own modest ambitions for energy savings, Friends of the Earth warned today.

The draft Directive aims to boost activity from Member States to kick start progress towards meeting the EU's target to save 20 per cent of its energy by 2020.

But Friends of the Earth says the Directive is destined to fail because it only proposes voluntary targets for Member States, with a progress review in 2014 – despite an EU Impact Assessment which concludes that only binding targets will deliver on the 20 per cent target.

Friends of the Earth's energy campaigner, Tony Bosworth, said:

"When it comes to taking real action on energy efficiency the EU appears to have switched off.

"This Directive is far too feeble to meet the EU's target to slash energy waste by 20 per cent by 2020. 

"Despite the Commission's own analysis showing that binding targets are needed to meet EU energy efficiency aims, the draft Directive only sets voluntary goals. 

"Slashing energy waste by 20 per cent would create two million new jobs, reduce our dependence on energy imports, and save householders over €1000 per year – as well as being the bare minimum needed to cut carbon emissions at the speed required to tackle climate change."

Friends of the Earth campaigns for solutions to environmental problems.

Friends of the Earth Europe