COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Brussels, 29.04.1998 
COM(1998) 246 final 
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION 
Energy Efficiency in the European 
Community «Towards a Strategy for the 
Rational use of Energy 

1. The need for renewed efforts to promote Energy Efficiency 
There is an urgent need to reinvigorate commitment both at Community and Member 
State level to promote energy efficiency more actively, especially, but not only, in the 
light of the Kyoto agreement to reduce C02 emissions. Improved energy efficiency 
will lead to a more sustainable energy policy and enhanced security of supply, as well 
as to many other benefits. It is important to underline, however, that it will play a key 
role in helping the Community to meet its challenging Kyoto target economically. 
The underlying assumption behind this Communication is that, whilst energy intensity 
has decreased slowly but surely over recent years, it is essential to take the necessary 
steps to ensure that energy efficiency is substantially improved, and reflected in a 
significantly reduced level of energy intensity. The role of Member States and of 
regional and local authorities will be crucial in this context as much of the action on 
energy efficiency takes place at national level. 
The Commission's objectives in presenting this Communication at this point in time, 
can be summarised as follows: 
-To underline the economic potential for energy efficiency which exists. 
-To present both the successes and failures of the policies followed so far, and draw 
the necessary conclusions. 
-To highlight the need for more action at Member State and regional level in parallel 
with action at Community level. 
-To refocus attention on promoting energy efficiency and stimulate discussion 
towards a more detailed Action Plan. 
-To prepare the ground in this specific field for common and coordinated policies and 
actions which will need to be undertaken in the light of the Kyoto Agreement. 
Saving energy has been a stated policy objective of the Community and its Member 
States since the first oil crisis in 1973, when energy security became of paramount 
concern and saving energy was an important element of the strategy to reduce oil 
imports, particularly in a context of high energy prices. However, as these pressures 
disappeared, so has much of the effort to improve energy efficiency. 
A more long-term view of energy demand reduction led in time to the realisation that 
it was possible to "delink" economic growth and energy consumption, allowing GDP 
to increase without commensurate increases in energy consumption. Market barriers 
and falling prices, however, have limited the scope and extent to which delinking has 
occurred, especially regarding the final or end-use of energy. It is worth noting the 
development of energy intensity in the Union between 1974 and 19951, shown in 
Diagram A. 
In spite of the existence of Community and Member State energy end-use efficiency 
programmes designed to remove them, many of the barriers to the rational use of 
1 Energy in Europe "1997 -Annual Energy Review", European Commission , September 1997, p. 66. 
And Eurostat(Gross Inland Consumption/GDP.) 
1 
••Sy-iMMl. M I M——— 
energy from the 1970s persist today. Analysis of the current situation indicates that 
strengthened efforts, including better common and co-ordinated policies and measures 
at Community and Member State level, are needed to increase energy efficiency, 
notably in the use of electricity, the generation of which accounts for some 30% of the 
Community's C02 emissions. 
330 Energy Intensity 
1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 
Year 
Diagram A. Development of Primary Energy Intensity 1974 
(toe/1990 MECU) 1995 
In this document the Commission: 
(i) outlines the potential for energy efficiency improvements from now until the year 
2010; 
(ii) analyses the nature and types of barriers to the exploitation of this potential; 
(iii) reviews programmes and measures and their relevance to barriers and potentials; 
(iv) examines the economic rationale for programmes to remove barriers to energy 
efficiency, and 
(v) proposes elements for a strategy and priorities to exploit available potential which 
reflects Community and Member State roles and capabilities . 
This Communication is only the first step towards a strategy for the rational use of 
energy. It indicates a policy commitment towards energy efficiency and focuses on 
what is realistically and economically feasible in the short and medium term. 
Following input from the other institutions, Member States and other interested 
parties, a more specific Action Plan for Energy Efficiency will be developed and more 
concrete actions and ways to implement them will be proposed. 
The manner in which energy efficiency, together with other sectoral measures will 
contribute to the Kyoto commitments will be further developed in a forthcoming 
Commission Communication on a comprehensive post-Kyoto strategy for C02 
emission reduction. 
2. Realising the Available Energy Efficiency Potential 
Community and Member State activity improving energy efficiency and energy 
intensity can be justified economically if significant potential individual and societal 
benefits remain unrealised by the operation of market forces. This is today the case, 
since due to market failure resulting from market barriers, many cost-effective 
investments in energy efficient technology and methods are not undertaken. 
If no action is taken to promote energy efficiency only the market potential for energy 
saving can be expected to be achieved in practice, which is what can be realised by 
individuals and firms in the face of imperfect knowledge and other market barriers 
and without market intervention. However, what is very important to achieve, 
especially in the light of the Kyoto commitment is the full economic potential. Further 
action, beyond what is suggested in this Communication, can lead to the realisation of 
the societal potential and the technical potential. This Communication specifically 
focuses on action necessary to promote the economic potential for improving energy 
efficiency, as a first and necessary no-regrets step for reaping economic benefits, 
ensuring continued security of energy supply and meeting Community targets for the 
reduction of C02 emissions. 
Estimates are that the available economic potential between 1998 and the year 2010, 
for all sectors combined, is approximately 18 % of final annual energy consumption 
1995, as shown in Table l2. 
Table 1. Available Economic Potential in the European Union 1998 -2010 
Sector Final Energy Consumption, Available Potential to 2010. 
1995 (Mtoe) Per cent of 1995 Consumption 
Industry 268 17% 
Transport 270 14% 
Domestic and Tertiary 358 22% 
Total 1 896 18% 
3.Why the Potential Is Not Being Realised: Imperfections, Barriers and 
Shortcomings 
Despite the environmental, economic and energy policy advantages that energy 
efficiency offers, we are not realising sufficiently the cost-effective potential. Neither 
the Community nor the Member States efforts undertaken have so far managed to 
overcome the existing barriers to investments in energy efficiency. An effective 
strategy for the future must successfully tackle the main obstacles outlined below. 
Energy efficiency will only fully penetrate the market if energy prices accurately 
reflect energy costs. Internalisation of externalities through taxation and fees is an 
effective way to increase investments in energy efficiency as outlined in the 
Community's Fifth Environmental Action Plan, "Towards Sustainability". It is 
important to realise that at the same time as efforts are being made to increase energy 
2 MURE model estimation, based on current energy prices. European Commission March 1998. The 
calculation for the transport sector is based entirely on fuel efficiency improvements. If other effects, 
including modal shifts, are included, the potential for the transport sector is estimated to be around 
25% by the year 2010. 
efficiency, the energy sector is undergoing significant changes, due in part to EU 
initiatives. These changes will affect the perception and role of energy efficiency. The 
completion of the internal market for energy, for example, with liberalisation and 
restructuring of both the electricity and gas sectors, will most certainly have an impact 
on energy efficiency. On the one hand, competitive pressure will improve the 
efficiency in energy production. Market forces will be released, economies of scale 
will be discovered and developed, tariff structures will change and new stakeholders 
will emerge to assume new roles. On the other hand, the liberalisation of the energy 
markets will inevitably mean lower energy prices. However, at the same time, 
increased competition as a result of the internal energy market is likely to lead to a 
tariff structure for the electricity industry which will better reflect true production 
costs without hidden cross-subsidies. It is clear that in a period of generally falling 
energy prices, specific measures to promote energy efficiency are more critical than 
ever. 
After price signals, lack of or incomplete information is usually the first barrier to 
energy efficiency which one encounters. It is also the most ubiquitous. Imperfect 
knowledge of the product and lack of foresight on price development on the part of 
consumers, manufacturers and other stakeholders hampers the introduction of 
efficiency measures. Consumers receive inadequate or incomplete information from 
the service sector on running costs. Purchases are then often based on lowest initial 
cost or other criteria. 
Information on system applications of energy technology is also often unavailable or 
inaccessible. As a result, equipment is often over-sized or incorrectly installed. There 
is also often a lack of technical skills and training in the energy maintenance and 
service sector. Because of expectations of relatively low and stable end-use energy 
prices, information on efficiency has also become less important in the planning and 
purchase of automobiles, appliances and other equipment. 
Poor feedback of information to energy consumers also acts as a disincentive. This is 
particularly true for consumers who see no immediate or appreciable change in energy 
costs after haven chosen energy-efficient alternatives. At a different level, lack of 
harmonised and comparable evaluation methods for analysing the results of energy 
efficiency initiatives can also be a barrier. 
There are numerous institutional and legal barriers to greater energy efficiency. 
One example is found in the energy supply industry, where the institutionalised 
energy planning mind set has proven difficult to change. This tends to associate 
greater credibility with highly centralised power production than with more 
decentralised demand-side measures to meet increases in demand. Yet, least-cost 
analyses have shown that investments in demand-side energy efficiency are often 
more cost-effective than production-side investments. 
One of the most difficult institutional barriers to overcome today is the continued 
practice of selling energy in the form of kWh instead of as energy services such as 
heating and cooling, lighting and power. Services are invariably what the energy 
consumer actually wants, not energy for its own sake. This is one of the arguments in 
favour of the development of energy service companies and the use of integrated 
resource planning. 
Other institutional barriers include things such as the practice among builders and 
landlords in some Member States to choose and install appliances with low initial 
costs but high running costs for energy, costs which are usually incurred by the home-
buyer or tenant. The landlord-tenant problem of "split-incentives,, is a classic example 
of this type of institutional barriers. 
Lack of political commitment can also be said to constitute an institutional barrier. As 
energy efficiency occurs in small increments, there is never a grandiose ceremony 
associated with it as is the case when a new power station or highway is opened. 
Politically motivated incentive structures in the form of taxes and subsidies are also 
often based on short-term or fiscal goals. 
There are also many different types of technical barriers to energy efficiency. 
Countless energy-efficient technologies have been held back from the market due to 
inadequate support in the form of technicians, consultants, trained repairmen etc.. 
leading to lack of confidence on the part of the consumer, either regarding product 
reliability or maintenance of the equipment. 
Barriers also arise because many manufacturers of equipment and appliances and 
builders are not specifically in the "efficiency" business and thus have different 
priorities in designing and selling their refrigerators, pumps, buildings etc. Low 
energy prices have contributed to this. 
Reaching sufficient production volume for economies of scale to make the cost of a 
new product competitive is another common technical barrier. 
The lack of standardised components, spare parts and fixtures for energy-efficient 
solutions is a barrier which the lighting, building and other industries have 
experienced. Community' standardisation measures and programmes are helping to 
alleviate this problem, with the single market in mind. 
Financial barriers such as lack of up-front capital are major barriers to cost-effective 
investment in energy efficiency. Self-financing capacities and loan facilities have 
traditionally been far better for energy producers than for energy consumers. Banks 
e.g., do not include reduced energy costs resulting from extra investment in energy 
efficiency in the calculations upon which they base the size of their loans. 
The above list of barriers is not exhaustive. Its purpose is rather to illustrate the main 
categories of barriers to energy efficiency in order to address the question of how to 
remove them. 
4. Existing Measures for Energy Efficiency 
Future measures have to build on existing initiatives, overcoming weakness and 
pursuing successful experiences. It is important to underline that initiatives, with 
varying degrees of effectiveness, have been undertaken at Community level since the 
late 1970's. However, by the late 1980s* the Commission concluded that the different 
energy efficiency instruments passed by Council in the 1970s and early 1980s had not 
fulfilled expectations. More effort was then required from the Member States. In 
1986, the Council adopted a Resolution concerning new Community energy 
objectives, which inter alia, called for a 20% improvement in energy intensity of final 
demand by the year 19953. A 1987 Communication entitled "Towards a continuing 
policy for energy efficiency in the European Community" (COM(87)233 final) 
proposed 14 energy efficiency measures to Member States to help achieve the 1995 
target. In the 1990 SAVE proposal which followed, it was recognised that this 
Communication had had no appreciable effect, and it was necessary for the 
Commission to act at Community level. 
The Commission's proposal of 13 November 1990 (COM(90)365final) for a Council 
Decision concerning the promotion of energy efficiency in the Community stated that 
"Community action in this field is revived in the light of changes in economic trends 
for energy and the need for greater environmental protection. In the energy policies 
pursued by,most Member States, energy efficiency generally has become a lesser 
priority." The 1990 proposal stated further that the "majority of Member States have 
reduced or even completely abolished their programmes which directly support 
energy efficiency-linked investments." This conclusion led, among other things, to the 
approval in 1991 of the multi-annual SAVE Programme for energy efficiency. 
In spite of SAVE, for the Community as a whole, the overall rate of decrease in 
energy intensity was not significant. By 1995, the improvement was only 12 %, far 
short of the target of 20 %. Even more alarming was the fact that the pace of 
improvement had slowed down to only -0.6 % per year between 1990 and 1995, 
compared to -2.0 % per year between 1985 and 19904. 
An important factor underlying the slow penetration of energy efficiency measures 
continues to be the relatively low priority attributed to energy saving by Member 
States, despite the Community efforts in this direction as described below. 
There has been recognition at Community level, that technological programmes can 
play an important role m providing the basis for energy efficient technologies. In the 
JOULE-THERMIE programme launched in 1995 as a specific programme of the 
Fourth Framework Programme for RTD, 280 MECU were devoted to energy 
efficiency, representing 27% of the total budget and contributing to substantial 
achievements, especially in the reduction of energy intensity in buildings, transport 
and the process industries. A recent evaluation of THERMIE indicates that this 
Community programme is very well known amongst stakeholders on Community 
3 Council Resolution of 16 September 1986 concerning New Community Energy Policy Objectives for 
1995 and Convergence of the Policies of theMember States. OJC 241 of 25 September 1986. 
4 Eurostat 1997. Energy intensity for final energy consumption is only an indicator for energy 
efficiency, because it also includes economic restructuring, changes in fuel mix, etc. 
energy markets and that it has impacted on market shares for energy-efficiency 
technology.5 
However, the principal focus of the Community's action has been the SAVE 
Programme. After evaluation of the results of SAVE I, the SAVE II programme was 
adopted in December 1996 with an indicative budget of 45 MECU for five years. Its 
aim is "improving energy intensity of final consumption by a further one percentage 
point per annum over that which would have been otherwise attained. Compared with 
the original SAVE Programme, SAVE II was enlarged by the addition of the regional 
and urban energy efficiency programme and an electricity end-use programme.6 and in 
March 1998, the Commission adopted its decision opening up the SAVE programme 
to Bulgaria, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. 
One of the major elements of the Commission's non-technological efforts relates to 
the development and adoption of legislation having a Community-wide scope. The 
legislative programme largely relates to traded goods and, as such, is essential in 
completing the internal market. Evaluations of the effects in Member States of the 
Community labelling programme indicate that the programme has had a positive 
impact both on the share of energy-efficient models in EU manufactures' assortment 
of products and the market share of sales of efficient models. An extrapolation of the 
present trend of improvement in the energy intensity of cold appliances as a result of 
labelling, for example, indicates a reduced average intensity of 15% for the entire EU 
cold appliance market by the year 2010. That this improvement is in large measure a 
result of labelling is supported by the fact that there was no significant rate of change 
before labelling was introduced. 
An important element of SAVE has been its focus on helping to build the necessary 
capacity and infrastructure for energy efficiency and to improve policy analysis. 
SAVE provides support for pilot actions and information dissemination activities in 
the areas of appliances, buildings, CHP, DSM, education & training, industry and 
transport. Over 350 pilot actions and studies have been carried out for this purpose, 
and the asessment of their effectiveness has indicated the areas of priority action 
where there is Community added-value. Programme evaluations show clearly that the 
SAVE programme has played a significant role in capacity-building in the energy 
sector but we have still not reached the stage where this has produced sufficient 
results in practice. A separate component of the SAVE Programme which supports the 
creation of energy agencies at regional, local and island level has proved to be 
significant. To date 140 such SAVE agencies have been set up throughout the 
Community, and their impact is starting to be felt at a local level. One of their roles, 
which needs to be strengthened is the exchange of experience and best practices. 
A further important element of Community action has been support for investments 
in less developed regions. The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the 
Cohesion Fund have the possibility to contribute to increased energy efficiency. This 
s Horizontal Evaluation of DGXVII Energy Programmes, Report to the Commission, December 1996. 
6 Council Decision 96/737/EC of 16.12.97 concerning a multiannual programme for the promotion of 
energy efficiency in the Community - SAVE II. 
is possible in both Objective 1 and Objective 2 areas, where national as well as 
regional energy programmes usually include specific measures to improve energy 
efficiency. However, a greater interest needs to be shown by Member States in these 
possibilities. 
Evaluations of the programmes indicate that the programmes dealing with energy 
efficiency have had an impact on reducing energy intensity but have not been in 
themselves sufficient to bring about changes on a scale necessary. THERMIE is 
judged to have contributed significantly to meeting the Community goal of increased 
industrial competitiveness, especially among SMEs. The SAVE Programme has had 
measurable effect on capacity-building for energy efficiency and in CHP through 
replication of focused pilot projects. Through its legislative programme, SAVE has 
been judged to have made an important contribution to the improvement of energy 
efficiency. Estimates of the C02 abatement effects of different actions in SAVE and 
THERMIE support the claim that the programmes are producing tangible results.7. 
The main conclusions drawn point to the need to better focus and coordinate 
Community and Member State measures, to improve and strengthen existing 
measures, to facilitate exchanges of experience and best practice, and to select priority 
areas of action, in order to bring about the increased rate of improvement in energy 
intensity which individual and societal benefits and costs fully justify. 
It should also be noted that efforts to improve energy efficiency outside the Union are 
important in the context of international cooperation, especially in the light of the 
global reduction of C02 emissions. The PHARE and TACIS programmes, intended to 
support reform and restructuring in the CEEC and CIS countries, respectively have 
promoted energy efficiency. INCO-Copernicus, an element of the Fourth Framework 
Programme intended for non-member countries, promotes both the efficient use of 
energy in buildings, industry and transport, as well as the clean and efficient 
production of energy from fossil fuels, through joint research and demonstration 
projects. INCO-DC has provided support to JOULE-THERMIE's accompanying 
measures in developing countries, aiming at promoting the use of clean and efficient 
energy in these countries. SYNERGY also supports energy efficiency projects in non-
member countries. However, the economic energy efficiency potential in countries 
outside the Union is also far from being realised, and needs to be further encouraged. 
5. Towards a Strategy for the Rational Use of Energy 
The fact the Union is not realising the full cost-effective potential for energy 
efficiency improvements, raises the question of why this is not happening. There are 
two important points to consider. First, it is clear that the market is still not 
functioning properly because there are market failures and barriers which hinder 
expected investments and actions. Secondly, the policies and programmes that the 
Community and its Member States have put in place have fallen short either because 
they were not sufficient, not fully effective or not adequately co-ordinated, or a 
combination of these. If we are to achieve, as a minimum, the economic potential for 
- Horizontal Evaluation of DGXVII Energy Programmes, Report to the Commission, December 1996. 
energy efficiency, a renewed Community-wide commitment at Community, national, 
regional and local level is essential in order to implement the appropriate policies and 
measures as part of a wider strategy. 
We need to build on the foundations for a comprehensive Community energy 
efficiency strategy which are already in place. A number of Community initiatives are 
already running, one of which is the SAVE Programme and the activities arising from 
it. Member States have programmes in place, as shown in Annex 2 which have had a 
greater or lesser degree of success. Numerous evaluations of energy efficiency 
programmes have been carried out in Member States, which show clear cost-effective 
increases in the market shares for energy-efficient lighting, appliances, heat-pumps 
and other energy-consuming equipment, often after only a few years of programme 
activity. Extrapolated over the life of the investments undertaken as a result of the 
programme, these activities impact on the energy intensity of individual end-use 
sectors by factors of up to 65%. The proposals made in this Communication build on 
documented successful experiences, and aim to ensure that they are more widely taken 
up. 
A number of coordinated measures need to be taken. Progress will need to be closely 
monitored. One of the shortcomings of the current energy efficiency programmes is 
the insufficient monitoring and evaluation of results. Monitoring will become even 
more important in the future as it will be necessary to track the progress in meeting 
the Kyoto commitments. The Commission will continue to strengthen its activities in 
this area. 
An energy efficiency strategy cannot be successfully implemented without the co­
operation and support of a wide variety of actors throughout the Community. 
Increased co-operation with Member States must be sought as well as with the energy 
service industry, manufacturers, distributors, installers, industry associations, branch 
organisations, utilities, consumer organisations and NGOs. 
Member States must be encouraged to promote awareness on energy efficiency. 
Particular importance should be given to increasing consumer awareness of the many 
cost-effective energy efficiency opportunities and new emerging technologies. 
OPETs, SAVE Agencies, consumer networks and other Community-supported 
dissemination networks can be more effectively used to increase co-operation in 
pursuit of such common objectives. 
Better coordination of actions is very important, facilitated by the existence of a 
special forum where energy efficiency policies are discussed. If a group on 
convergence of national energy policies is established by Council as already proposed 
by the Commission, then a sub-group on energy efficiency with a special emphasis on 
improved co-ordination of national and Comnrmity measures will be foreseen. 
Alternatively an appropriate forum may need to be established to promote a re-newed 
impetus and commitment io energy efficiency, permit experience to be shared and 
follow and review progress at EU and Member Sta ? 'eve!. 
There is clearly a need to identify and raise the profile of improving energy efficiency, 
giving it a more positive thrust both at Community and Member States level. It must 
be placed on an equal basis with energy supply options. While energy and 
environmental policy objectives cannot be achieved by demand-side options alone, 
neither can they be achieved solely by supply-side options. Energy efficiency 
programmes must be put in place and implemented effectively, but at Community and 
Member State level. Below is a first outline of what can be cost-effectively 
undertaken: 
5.1 Promoting Energy Efficiency in Other Policies 
Greater focus needs to be placed on promoting energy efficiency via other policies. 
The regional and urban dimensions of energy efficiency must be developed more 
fully. Integrated regional and urban partnerships involving a wide variety of actors 
from different sectors need to be promoted as part of the activities undertaken under 
SAVE. The European Regional Development Fund and the Cohesion Fund must 
continue to contribute to increased energy efficiency by including specific policies 
and measures, but Member States must also ensure that they submit appropriate 
proposals. 
Transport is another priority area for energy efficiency. Without appropriate policy 
action, emissions from transport will increase by about 40% between 1990 and 2010. 
The European Union has adopted a strategy on C02 and cars, which aims to reduce by 
30% the average C02 emissions of new cars to 120g/km in 2005/2010 against the 
1990 baseline. In the recent Communication on Transport and C028, the Commission 
made an assessment of how to reduce energy use and hence C02 emissions from 
transport. The measures proposed concern four principal elements: further action on 
vehicle fuel economy; progress with fair and efficient pricing in transport; completion 
of the internal market in rail transport; as well as measures for better integrating the 
various modes of transport. It can be expected that those measures represent a cost-
effective policy approach capable of halving the growth in C02 emissions by 2010. 
Beyond 2010, the large-scale introduction of new technologies (e.g. hybrid cars, fuel 
cells and alternative fuels) will reduce the use of fossil fuels and cut emissions 
significantly.Energy efficiency needs to become an integral part of transport policy. 
Internalisation of externalities through taxation and fees, where appropriate, 
continues to be considered as a means to allow energy prices to reflect true costs. 
Market liberalisation benefits in the form of lower prices should partially accrue to 
environmental improvement when appropriate. The Commission tabled a tax proposal 
to the Council in 1997 concerning taxation of energy products, which would establish 
a broader minimum tax base. The Council is currently examining this proposal, which 
includes provisions for possible tax-exemptions for energy efficiency investments. It 
is important for progress to be made on this proposal. In parallel, Member States 
should be encouraged to examine what special tax incentives they can provide for 
energy-saving. 
8 COM(98)204 final of 31.3.98 
10 
Science Research and Technology Policy also has a role to play in the energy 
efficiency strategy. The Fifth RTD Framework Programme forsees two specific key 
actions for "cleaner energy systems, including renewable energies" and "economic 
and efficient energy for a compétitive Europe". Actions to be carried out by the JRC 
are also foreseen, for example, on new materials for high efficiency power generation 
system on prospective studies on upcoming technologies.The Community and 
Member States must pursue intensified research and development efforts on energy 
efficiency. 
International Commitment and Cooperation for energy efficiency is also critical. 
The European Union is fully committed to participate in the implementation of the 
Energy Charter Protocol on Energy Efficiency and Related Environmental Aspects. 
Increased co-operation with other international organisations such as the International 
Energy Agency must be sought. Strengthened co-operation with international banks 
will allow more leverage for Community programmes and projects. Ensuring that the 
accession countries of Central and Eastern Europe and Cyprus are adequately 
prepared in the field of energy efficiency prior to membership, as identified in the 
Accesion Partnerships with each of the countries concerned, is also a high priority. 
5.2 Specific Priorities For Action 
On the basis of an assessment of the economic potential for greater energy efficiency 
and an évaluation of the effectiveness of actions already undertaken, the following 
areas for action are proposed as priorities for the short to medium-term. This is not 
intended to be an exhaustive list of actions, but rather indicate the main directions to 
follow, coordinating action at Community and Member State level. 
(!) Energy-Efficient Buildings 
Buildings account for 40% of the EU's energy requirements. The building sector 
offers one of the largest single potentials for energy efficiency and should thus be a 
major focus for action. In addition to installed components and equipment, energy 
conscious design and use of buildings and new concepts in building renovation, 
refurbishment and life cycle analysis and costs are important. 
Initiatives which can be undertaken under the SAVE Programme include e.g., the 
development of simple tools to help installers to design appropriate systems, training 
and certification in their use of these tools. This must be combined with information 
schemes providing the final customer with clear and reliable information about the 
performance of the energy systems they may be considering. Further measures in this 
field will include the review of Council Directive 93/76/EEC (below) which needs to 
be strengthened to improve energy efficiency in buildings.9 It is important for Member 
States also to review their national standards for energy efficiency in buildings, to 
identify where improvements might be made. 
9 The development of harmonised European standards under the Construction Products Directive 
(89/106/EEC) for products such as thermal insulation, windows, heat emitters, etc. can lead to the 
adoption of standards and indications in the form of information on inter alia product energy economy 
and heat retention properties. 
11 
(ii) Review of Council Directive 93/76/EEC to Limit Carbon Dioxide Emissions 
Council Directive 93/76/EEC has the potential to improve substantially energy 
efficiency and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by helping overcome a number of 
barriers. Results to date indicate, however, that many Member States have not given 
the Directive sufficient priority. This is attributed in part to the subsidiarity in the 
Directive. The Directive requires Member States to develop actions in six programme 
areas, (such as individual metering and billing of energy use, and energy audits in 
industry) but allows considerable flexibility regarding which instruments to choose 
and how. Member States are also required to monitor and report on the impact of the 
measures. 
Strengthening specific articles in the Directive will enhance its impact. Making it 
more focused and precise is also necessary. Therefore, a directive amending Council 
Directive 93/76EEC will be proposed by the Commission. The main areas of the 
present Directive which need to be strengthened include energy certification of 
buildings to include existing buildings and not only new buildings, further standards 
for the installation of insulation and proposals for inspections and energy audits. 
(iii) Energy-efficient Household Appliances and Other End-use Equipment 
The technical barriers to energy efficiency need to be overcome. For domestic 
appliances, labelling has been established for a number of years and should be 
extended to cover all the major appliances. For rninimum efficiency requirements, 
progress has been slower due to the long decision process and lack of cooperation 
from manufacturers. The "refrigerator directive" (96/57/EC), was a first example, 
followed by negotiated agreements for washing machines and televisions, as 
mentioned below. In the near future energy-efficiency standards for electric water 
heaters and room air conditioners will be negotiated. 
In the commercial and industrial sectors there is no labelling scheme, and therefore 
negotiated minimum efficiency requirements are necessary. Proposals to introduce 
minimum efficiency requirements should be developed, for example, for ballasts for 
fluorescent lighting, electric motors, pumps, compressors, fans and commercial 
refrigeration equipment. For office equipment a voluntary quality mark to indicate the 
most efficient equipment for large purchasers (public authorities and large commercial 
enterprises such as banks, insurance companies, etc) is under discussion, based on 
world-wide harmonised technical specifications and the logo, Energy Star. 
Incentive schemes in favour of the. most efficient appliances, together with 
disincentives for inefficient appliances, should be promoted as a means of ensuring 
rapid market penetration of energy-efficient equipment. 
(iv) Wider Use of Negotiated and Long-Term Agreements 
There is a large savings potential which can be realised by the removal of technical 
barriers in industry through minimum efficiency requirements or equivalent 
negotiated agreements establishing minimum efficiency requirement for 
manufactured goods. Therefore these instruments should be strengthened and 
expanded to other appliances and equipment, especially in the commercial and 
industrial sectors. Adequate funding under the SAVE Programme to allow detailed 
12 
technical/economic analysis and mandates to the standardisation bodies 
(CEN/CENELEC) is necessary to implement this strategy. 
Several Member States have insisted on the use of more flexible instruments such as 
negotiated agreements between manufacturers to reach the same objective as 
mandatory minimum efficiency requirements. Negotiated agreements are considered 
a valid alternative to the introduction of legislation if they include commitments by 
a large segment of the manufacturers in a branch (at least 80%), stipulate quantified 
commitments to improvements in the appliances and equipment they produce and if 
they include an effective monitoring and self-regulating scheme and non-compliance 
procedures. Currently two agreements have been negotiated by the Commission 
with appliance manufacturers, for the reduction of energy consumption of stand-by 
losses of TVs and VCRs and for washing machines. A wider use of negotiated 
agreements should be sought, with targets corresponding to or exceeding any 
objectives set for energy intensity. These agreements concern tradeable goods such as 
appliances and equipment, but the inclusion of energy services should also be 
considered. Should negotiated agreements fail to deliver the expected results, 
mandatory standards must be implemented. 
The Commission has adopted a Communication on Environmental Agreements 
(COM (96) 561), which aims "to promote and facilitate the use of effective and 
acceptable Environmental Agreements" as part of the effort to broaden the range of 
co-operation with industry. Long-Term Agreements (LTAs) with industry branches, 
are a specific type of Environmental Agreement, characterised by the fact that the 
industrial trade association in question and its members commit themselves to a 
quantified target for energy efficiency in their manufacturing processes. Wider use 
of this instrument should be made. 
(v) Increased Dissemination of Information 
Information dissemination must remain a high priority under the SAVE Programme 
and in Member States programmes, in order to remove the information barriers 
mentioned above. A renewed Community information campaign is planned, focusing 
the attention of consumers and other stakeholders on the fact that energy efficiency is 
more essential than ever and on how it achieves benefits. This campaign would 
require the active participation of all the energy stakeholders including consumer 
organisations. 
The current successful programme of energy efficiency labelling of household 
appliances needs to be expanded to include other energy-using equipment, including 
building components. Information on this must be made more readily available. 
Consumer organisation participation in the dissemination of consumer information 
should be increased. 
There is a need to increase the use of information technology and other innovative 
methods to reach new audiences with labelling and other information on energy 
efficiency and energy-efficient technology. For Commission projects, a greater 
emphasis will be placed on dissemination of results through e.g., new and existing 
13 
Çommunity-wide networks. It is also recommended that training and certification on 
the use and maintenance of energy-efficient technology be expanded. 
A new system of awards for energy efficiency, to be developed in cooperation with 
relevant organisations under the SAVE Programme, is being considered. This could 
be offered yearly for the institutions, organisations, authorities or persons in Member 
States making the most important contribution to energy efficiency. The system 
should be under the auspices of the Commission, with strong Member State 
participation. 
It is also important to strengthen information dissemination on best practices in 
Energy Efficiency. Under the SAVE Programme, a European Energy Efficiency Best 
Practice Programme,in cooperation with Member States will be proposed. 
(vi)Third-party Financing, Guarantee of Results and Other Creative Financing 
Schemes 
Financial barriers require special attention. Third-party financing has been promoted 
for several years by the Commission in both the SAVE and THERMIE programmes 
as a means of removing such barriers. Model contracts have been prepared for all 
Member States and several projects have been carried out. Council SAVE Directive 
93/76 requires Member States to develop actions related to third-party financing in the 
public sector. While this has been reasonably successful, the full potential of this 
instrument has not yet been achieved. The instrument needs to be strengthened by use 
in larger public sector undertakings and expanded to cover private sector needs. 
Therefore, new ways must be sought to promote the instrument and to increase the 
interest of commercial banks in assuming the role of guarantor for energy service 
companies (ESCOs) considering third-party contracting. In addition to increased 
commercial bank participation, new contract forms may need to be developed, such as 
the guarantee of results procedure which has been successfully used by the ALTENER 
programme. Energy efficiency investment project clearing houses will also need to be 
tested as a means of providing commercial banks with independent evaluations of the 
viability of proposed investments. Studies and pilot actions in these specified areas 
need to be carried out. 
(vii) Energy Efficiency in the Electricity and Gas sectors and CHP . 
It is important to overcome the institutional and legal barriers identified. Integrated 
resource planning or rational planning techniques are an important tool, especially in 
the context of liberalisation of the electricity and gas markets. The institutional 
barriers in these sectors may or may not be removed by increased competition. The 
Commission remains of the view, especially in the light of Kyoto, that IRP is an 
important component of the EU's energy efficiency strategy to increase the focus on 
the electricity and gas industry's role in providing energy services. There is a 
modified Draft Directive on Rational Planning Techniques which, while strongly 
supported by the European Parliament has yet to obtain sufficient support in the 
Council for adoption. The Commission continues to consider this Directive important, 
especially in view of the development of energy services arising from market 
liberalisation, and will consider the best way to proceed. 
14 
The use of combined heat and power in industry, the domestic and tertiary and the 
power sectors is critical for energy efficiency and must continue to be promoted by 
the Community and the Member States. The recent Communication on Cogeneration 
(COM(97)514 final) outlines the barriers and strategy for the European Union, and 
was endorsed by Member States in December 1997 in the form of a Council 
Resolution. It should be noted that the forthcoming proposal for a revision of Council 
Directive 88/609/EEC on polluting emissions from large combustion plants will 
require that new plants apply CHP where feasible, make provisions for the use of.* 
biomass and promote efficient production with fossil fuels. 
More generally, there is a need to expand the promotion of energy efficiency 
undertaken by both electricity and gas utilities. A voluntary partnership will be 
developed whereby utilities support EU initiatives such as the labelling and appliance 
efficiency programmes through negotiated agreements. The Commission will 
continue to promote DSM through pilot projects and dissemination activities under 
the SAVE Programme. Commitments will be sought from utilities to market energy 
services and energy efficiency as part of their corporate goal. 
(viii) Energy Management and Technology Procurement. 
In order to promote energy efficiency in the public sector, the Commission intends to 
present a Proposal for a Directive on Energy Management, in which Member States 
and EÙ Institutions agree to follow established guidelines for purchasing cost-
effective energy-efficient technology whenever constructing, repairing or furnishing 
buildings owned or leased by them. This should include all EU and Member State 
nationally-owned energy-using equipment, including automobiles. The intention is for 
public bodies to take the lead by setting examples regarding energy efficiency. 
Corporate commitment based on best practices programmes will be a logical 
extension of this. This work will be co-ordinated with the Community environmental 
management and audit scheme (EMAS). It will also include life-cycle cost analysis 
(LCC). Compatibility with the Commission's public procurement rules in 
implementing the programme will be assured. The potential in the building sector is 
judged to be large and the institutional barriers to realizing this potential are well 
known. An energy management programme for public buildings and property of this 
type is deemed to be an effective way to remove these barriers. The Commission will 
also continue to examine and improve its own energy management practices. 
Cooperative technology procurement is an instrument to specify and aggregate the 
demand for energy efficiency in technology. It has been shown to work well in 
removing several different types of technical barriers. Technology procurement aims 
at encouraging new products to meet a demand (in this case for energy efficiency) 
that existing products on the market are unable to fulfil. Technology procurement is 
used to match producers' and consumers' perspectives in order to make the market 
function more efficiently with regard to energy efficiency. A group of 
knowledgeable and influential purchasers, defined as a "buyers' group", formulate 
product specifications with the help of technical experts, and initiate competition 
among producers to meet these demands. Technology procurement has been used 
successfully by several Member States. The feasibility of an EU-levcl procurement 
has been studied by the SAVE programme and the concept applied in a THERMIE 
15 
project. A new pilot project is now being considered and ways will be sought to 
broaden and increase this instrument's areas of application. 
6. Next steps 
A strong commitment and clear signals from all decision-makers and stakeholders 
regarding the importance and priority of energy efficiency is needed if any significant 
energy saving is to be made, particularly in the light of the Union's commitment, 
undertaken in Kyoto, to reduce C02 emissions. 
Apart from a Community Strategy, Member States will need to develop their own 
national strategies. In this context, consideration will need to be given to setting an 
objective to reduce energy intensity at Community and national levels, as well as in 
different sectoral activities. 
It has been estimated that if a basic package of measures such as those proposed 
above, is implemented in an effective and co-ordinated fashion, it would have a 
measurable impact on reducing energy intensity in the Community over and above the 
trend of recent years (-0.6% /p.a.). If an additional annual reduction of energy 
intensity of 1% were to be achieved with the win-win measures proposed (which is 
realistic), this must be regarded as an achievement against the background of expected 
continuing low energy prices. 
The focus of our strategy over the next years has to be the full realisation of the 
significant economic potential for the improvement in energy efficiency which exists 
in the EU, estimated to be, by 2010, as much as 18% of 1995 energy consumption. 
This Communication is a first step in such a strategy. In the light of further discussion 
and input on the basis of the ideas presented in this Communication, the Commission 
intends to produce an Action Plan for Energy Efficiency. 
16 
Annex 1. 
Changes in Energy Intensity (Total Final Consumption/GDP)(toe/MECU 1990) 
Austria 
Belgium 
Denmark 
Finland 
France 
Germany 
Greece 
Ireland 
Italy 
Luxembourg 
Netherlands 
Portugal 
Spain 
Sweden 
United Kingdom 
ww<i«f«jij.•«> 15|f»iU/13S1S1 1985 
181.2 
223.5 
152.8 
205.8 
160.0 
204.3 
253.4 
216.7 
129.7 
443.3 
222.1 
229.3 
152.7 
192.9 
194.7 1990 
161.5 
202.1 
143.0 
196.8 
143.5 
177.4 
230.6 
201.1 
128.4 
409.9 
192.8 
217.1 
145.8 
166.9 
177.2 
a<ao ; 1995 
159.6 
210.1 
133.8 
216.9 
142.7 
154.8 
231.4 
161.9 
128.4 
318.2 
196.5 
234.3 
154.5 
181.4 
173.1 
.18I9^S&-Annual 
% 
Change 
90/85 
-2.3 
-2.0 
-1.3 
-0.9 
-2.2 
-2.8 
-1.9 
-1.5 
-0.2 
-1.6 
-2.8 
-1.1 
-0.9 
-2.9 
-1.9 
v&<H\ ,: Annual 
% 
Change 
95/90 
-0.2 
0.8 
-1.3 
2.0 
-0.1 
-2.7 
0.1 
-4.2 
0.0 
-4.9 
0.4 
1.5 
1.2 
1.7 
-0.5 
K$4'V 
Source: 1997 — Annual Energy Review, European Commission, September 1997. 
17 
Annex 2. Outline of Member State Programmes and Measures for Energy 
Efficiency 
Austria 
There is an Agreement between the Federal Government and the Federal Provinces 
(Article 15a of the Federal Constitution on Energy Conservation) which came into 
force on 15 June 1995. The article provides for the possibility of a common approach 
to energy policy throughout the country. The agreement covers: heat conservation in 
buildings, energy-saving hot water preparation, subsidies, individual heat cost billing, 
labelling of household appliances, certification of boilers and energy conservation in 
the industrial sector. An agreement with the Association of Austrian Energy 
Consumers provides for energy consultancy to companies with energy use of at least 
20 TJ per year. Austria has adopted targets for 2000, in relation to 1991 in order to 
decrease energy for heating and water by 20%, decrease specific industry use of 
energy by 20% and decrease energy consumption of transport by 10%. 
m • 
Belgium 
Energy efficiency is the responsibility of the regional governments. In 1993, the 
region of Wallonia adopted a decree to promote energy efficiency in all sectors by 
creating a coherent legal framework. The region adopted the thermal efficiency 
standard used in the Flemish region in 1997. Since 1992, the Flemish region has 
adopted a series of actions related to energy efficiency including thermal efficiency 
standards, energy agreements and consultancy services. The regions have a variety of 
subsidy and information programmes. 
Denmark 
Energy 21, the most recent action plan for energy, was published in 1996. The main 
purpose is to contribute to sustainable development. A high priority of Energy 21 is to 
promote more efficient use of energy. The objective of Energy 21 is to achieve a 20 
per cent improvement in energy intensity between 1994 and 2005. There is also a 
longer-term objective to improve energy intensity by 55% between 1994 and 2030. 
There is a heavy reliance on carbon taxes in combination with a full range of policy 
measures. Denmark is a pioneer in the use of energy labelling for buildings and 
recently revised the programme to improve effectiveness. It gives a high priority to 
encouraging cogeneration and in 1996 it established the Electricity Saving Trust to 
support electricity conservation initiatives. 
Finland 
The most recent energy policy was sent to Parliament in June 1997. It calls for further 
improvement of energy efficiency. The goal is to bring the growth of total energy 
consumption to a halt in the next 10 to 15 years which means more specifically to 
increase energy efficiency by 10-20% by 2010. A Government Decision on the 
Implementation of Energy Conservation from December 1995 states that energy 
conservation has been a key of Finnish energy policy for the past two decades and will 
continue to be in the future. Finland is giving high priority to voluntary agreements 
with industry and municipalities. Finland also relies on the use of carbon taxes to help 
18 
encourage energy efficiency and has an extensive information programme and major 
technology development programmes. 
France 
Energy efficiency has been a major element of French energy policy since the 1970s 
and France has traditionally had one of the most comprehensive approaches in the 
European Union. In recent years, there have been government cutbacks which have 
affected the overall thrust of the programme. However, there are indications that there 
will be a significant budget increase starting in 1999. Since 1993, ADEME, the 
executive agency for energy efficiency, and the national utility, EDF, have had joint 
demand-side management programmes. ADEME also has one of the most effective 
regional networks in the EU and has had an effective consumer information 
programme for all end-use sectors. 
Germany 
Energy efficiency policies are largely designed to support the climate change and 
related environmental strategies as well as meet EU obligations. Germany has 
traditionally had a strong energy efficiency effort, both at the federal and state levels. 
The policies include regulations and voluntary agreements, combined with a strong 
emphasis on relying on the market mechanism. Germany was one of the first EU 
countries to require consumption-based billing of costs of central heating and hot 
water. There is also an important energy advisory service undertaken by the consumer 
association AgV which provides service in 330 cities. The government has voluntary 
agreements with 19 industry associations. Many Lander promote demand-side 
management. 
Greece 
In recent years, Greece has improved its energy efficiency programme, linking it 
closely to environmental objectives. Energy efficiency is being promoted through the 
Global Action Plan and the energy conservation sub-programme of the National 
Environmental and Energy Programme. The Global Action Plan, entitled Energy 
2001, is the national action plan for energy conservation in the built environment. 
There are a number of subsidy programmes and energy audits which are undertaken 
by CRES. There are also voluntary agreements with energy -intensive industries. 
Support is being provided to encourage the development of energy service companies 
(ESCOs). 
Ireland 
Energy efficiency is one of the three pillars of Irish energy policy. It is an important 
element in the government's climate change strategy and strategy towards sustainable 
development. Ireland has developed an energy rating system for buildings and created 
the National Irish Centre for Energy Rating to deliver the programme. There are two 
major audit programmes for industry and a programme to fund measures 
recommended by the audit. The Irish utility, ESB, has an important demand-side 
management programme. 
19 
Italy 
The 1988 National Energy Programme (PEN) gives high priority to energy efficiency. 
Most of the policy instruments being used result from Law No. 10/91, entitled 
"Regulations for the implementation of the National Energy Plan with regard to the 
rational use of energy, energy savings and the development of renewable energy 
sources." It is a framework law to introduce regulations aimed at improving energy 
efficiency in all end-use sectors. Many of the regulations are still not completely in 
place. One, however, requires energy managers in companies and organisations 
consuming more than 10,000 toe (industry) or 1,000 toe (other). A number of subsidy 
programmes ended in 1995 due to lack of funding. 
Luxembourg 
Parliament adopted the general Energy Efficiency Law of August 5, 1993. The law 
gives authority to several energy efficiency measures to be implemented, including 
new thermal efficiency standards that came into effect in 1996. A Grand Ducal ^decree 
requires the promotion of energy efficiency in municipalities. There are various 
subsidies for industry as well as mandatory energy audits in industrial enterprises 
consuming more than 3 GWh per year. 
The Netherlands 
Energy policy gives high priority to both energy efficiency improvements and 
developing a sustainable energy economy. The Third White Paper on Energy Policy, 
published in 1996, set a target of an energy efficiency improvement equivalent to one-
third of energy consumption within the next 25 years (33% improvement between 
1995-2020, equivalent to 1.7% per year). Energy efficiency policies focus on three 
end-use groups: manufacturing industry, homes and buildings, and traffic and 
transport. The Netherlands has been one of the pioneers in the use of voluntary 
agreements in all sectors and provides a variety of subsidies to support the 
agreements. There are also several environmental taxes to encourage energy 
efficiency. The 1995 Action Plan for Sustainable Construction calls for revisions in 
the thermal efficiency standards in 1998 and 2000. The government has actively 
supported cogeneration. The utilities implement the Environmental Action Plan 
(MAP) which covers a range of subsidies and information programmes related to 
energy efficiency. 
Portugal 
The Energy Programme, created in 1994 and partly funded by the EU, is primarily 
designed to provide financial incentives for energy efficiency. The objectives are to 
increase the use of indigenous energy sources and to improve energy efficiency. The 
Energy Programme for Buildings came into effect in 1995. Enterprises consuming 
more than 1,000 toe per year are required to establish energy management systems 
and their energy use patterns must be examined every five years. The five-year plans 
must be approved by the government. The Strategic Programme for the Expansion 
and Modernisation of Portuguese Industry provides incentives and voluntary actions 
to help industry both modernise and meet environmental goals. SIURE, the Regional 
Incentive System for the Rational Use of Energy, encourages investments in energy 
efficiency through audits, investment support, demonstration and information. 
20 
Spain 
The most recent energy policy is laid out in the National Energy Plan 1991-2000 
(PEN), approved by Parliament in April 1992. The PEN gives high priority to energy 
efficiency. The goal of the energy efficiency plan is to reduce projected final energy 
demand by 7.6 per cent in the year 2000 compared to 1991 by decreasing 7% in 
industry, 9.6% in transport and 5% in the residential sector. There are a variety of 
subsidy programmes. IDAE, the Institute for Energy Diversification and Savings, 
provides third-party financing for hospitals and industry. The government launched a 
DSM programme in 1995. IDAE negotiated the first voluntary agreements with 
industry in 1996. 
Sweden 
Sweden has traditionally had an ambitious energy efficiency strategy. The 1997 Bill 
on Sustainable Energy Supply gives a strong emphasis to energy efficiency using 
technology procurement. The goals for Sweden's 1997 energy policy are to secure the. 
long-term and short-term supplies of electricity and other energy in internationally 
competitive terms. Until the 1997 Bill on Sustainable Energy Supply, the most recent 
official Swedish energy policy dated from 1991. Sweden also relies on a variety of 
environmental taxes, including a tax on carbon dioxide emissions. Sweden provides 
support for municipal energy management and requires municipalities to prepare 
energy plans. 
United Kingdom 
The energy policy in the United Kingdom is based on ensuring secure, diverse and 
sustainable supplies of energy in the forms that people and businesses want, and at 
competitive prices. It is the government's view that this can be achieved through 
competitive energy markets working within a stable legal framework. Energy 
efficiency has been a major element of energy policy since the 1970s. The Energy 
Saving Trust was established to encourage investments in energy efficiency. The 
1995 Home Energy Conservation Act requires all local housing authorities to identify 
measures that will improve energy efficiency in public and private housing. The 
United Kingdom is one of the leaders in developing a Best Practice Programme, 
which provides technical information for professionals in all sectors. The government 
also has an ambitious programme to improve the energy use of its own operations. 
21 
ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(98) 246 final 
DOCUMENTS 
EN 12 06 01 10 
Catalogue number : CB-CO-98-286-EN-C 
ISBN 92-78-35495-3 
Office for Official Publications of the European Communities 
L-2985 Luxembourg