Publications Archive

The European Commission used a "stress test" to examine the resilience of the European gas system and recommends measures which will have a positive impact on security of the gas supply in Europe. In particular, the Member States will cooperate to a greater extent on ensuring security of the gas supply.

The European Commission proposes measures to ensure a secure energy supply in the EU. It calls on the Member States to complete the internal energy market and protect critical infrastructures such as gas pipelines against the political influence of state-owned companies in non-EU countries. In addition, it considers voluntary demand aggregation in order to improve the negotiating position of individual EU energy importers with respect to energy exporters in non-EU countries.

The EU Commission proposes to revise the existing Directive on labelling the consumption of energy and other resources. Currently, the indication and labelling obligation is restricted to lighting sources and large household appliances. In future, any product the use of which is related to the consumption of energy and other relevant resources might be subject to the labelling obligation. This might, for instance, affect TVs, shower heads and windows. In addition, contracting authorities may no longer procure inefficient products according to the Commission.

The Proposal by the Commission serves to recast the Directive on the energy performance of buildings. In future, when undergoing major renovations all buildings will have to comply with national minimum requirements for the energy performance of buildings. Member States are to set minimum requirements as to ensure that the total costs for the investment, maintenance and operation (incl. energy costs) of a building are minimised during its life-cycle. In addition, the energy performance of a building must be stated in all advertisements for sale or rent and the energy performance certificate must be shown to all prospective buyers or tenants.

In order to attain independence from fossil fuels, the EU is planning to accelerate the development and introduction of various low carbon technologies with the help of the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (“SET-Plan”). The Commission substantiates the strategic and technological targets, the planned measures and an estimation of how much private and public investment will be required for the research and development of low carbon technologies until 2020.

The Commission promotes the expansion of the EU internal energy market and announces a legal framework for the safe storage of nuclear waste. The expansion of EU energy grids is to be better coordinated. The Commission wishes to promote technological innovation and initiate a shift towards a low-carbon energy system by 2020 through market-based instruments.

The European Commission wants incentives for demand-side flexibility in electricity markets ("demand response") to be increased thereby contributing to network stability. For this purpose, electricity consumers will be increasingly offered variable real-time electricity tariffs. The Commission also points out, in connection with demand response, the required investment in network infrastructure and consumer concerns about data protection.

The European Commission proposes new targets for 2030 for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the development of renewable energy. An energy-efficiency target will not be discussed until autumn 2014 following the assessment of the Energy Efficiency Directive. Consultation will take place, in the framework of a new "governance structure", between the Commission and the Member States regarding the latter's plans for climate and energy policy.

The European Commission reports on the trends in electricity and gas prices in the EU and the resulting impact on the international competitiveness of EU companies. It calls on Member States to ensure greater cost efficiency with regard to environmental and energy-policy measures so as to reduce taxes and levies and considers additional state measures to support energy efficiency.

Where the market is unable to secure adequate electricity generation, the Member States should, in the European Commission's view, be able to set up "capacity mechanisms" under certain conditions. These capacity mechanisms should meet certain criteria; they should, inter alia, be technology-neutral and accessible across borders. Beforehand, however, the Member States should firstly, assess whether there is in fact a shortfall in generation, secondly, identify and remove the causes for the shortfall of generation, and thirdly, evaluate which alternatives to capacity mechanisms could remove these shortfalls in generation, where appropriate.