The project for a Directive on energy efficiency proposed by the European Commission on 22 June presents re measures which would boost energy saving and help EU reach 2020 goal of 20% reduction.

The European Commission approved a Directive proposal that establishes a new set of measures for increased Energy Efficiency in order to fill the gap and put back the EU on track. This proposal for this new directive brings forward measures to step up Member States efforts to use energy more efficiently at all stages of the energy chain – from the transformation of energy and its distribution to its final consumption.

The measures proposed by the Commission are the legal obligation to establish energy saving schemes in all Member States, public sector to lead by example and major energy savings for consumers. With regard to the energy saving plans, the proposal includes a requirement for all countries to establish them. Energy suppliers would be required to encourage their customers to become more energy-efficient, thereby reducing sales volumes by 1.5% annually.

Other measures proposed would require governments to reduce energy consumption by renovating at least 3% of public buildings every year, and making energy efficiency a condition of all goods and services they buy, consumers to be provided with free and better access to information on their energy use, allowing them to better manage their consumption, large companies to undergo audits identifying ways to reduce consumption - smaller ones would be given incentives to do the same and national energy regulators to take energy efficiency into account, in particular when approving network charges.

The Commission will make in 2014 an assessment of the progress made towards the EU's 20% energy efficiency objective for 2020 which is foreseen within the Directive and, if necessary, bring forward a further legislative proposal to set mandatory national energy efficiency target. These measures are based on the Energy Efficiency Plan proposed in March 2011.