P9_TA(2021)0503

Implementation of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive

European Parliament resolution of 15 December 2021 on the implementation of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (2021/2077(INI))

(2022/C 251/05)

The European Parliament,

— having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, in particular Article 194 thereof,

— having regard to its resolution of 17 September 2020 on maximising the energy efficiency potential of the EU building stock (1),

— having regard to its resolution of 21 January 2021 on access to decent and affordable housing for all (2),

— having regard to its resolution of 19 May 2021 on a European strategy for energy system integration (3),

— having regard to its resolution of 19 May 2021 on a European Strategy for Hydrogen (4),

— having regard to Directive 2010/31/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 May 2010 on the energy performance of buildings (5) (Energy Performance of Buildings Directive — EPBD),

— having regard to Directive 2012/27/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 on energy efficiency, amending Directives 2009/125/EC and 2010/30/EU and repealing Directives 2004/8/EC and 2006/32/EC (6) (Energy Efficiency Directive),

— having regard to Directive 2014/94/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2014 on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure (7), and its planned review,

— having regard to Regulation (EU) 2019/631 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 setting CO2 emission performance standards for new passenger cars and new light commercial vehicles (8) and the Commission proposal of 14 July 2021 to amend Regulation (EU) 2019/631 as regards strengthening the aforementioned standards in line with the Union’s increased climate ambition (COM(2021)0556),

— having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 June 2021 establishing the framework for achieving climate neutrality and amending Regulations (EC) No 401/2009 and (EU) 2018/1999 (‘European Climate Law’) (9),

— having regard to Commission Recommendation (EU) 2019/786 of 8 May 2019 on building renovation (10),

— having regard to Commission Recommendation (EU) 2019/1019 of 7 June 2019 on building modernisation (11),

— having regard to the Commission communication of 11 December 2019 on the European Green Deal (COM(2019)0640) and to Parliament’s resolution of 15 January 2020 (12) thereon,

— having regard to the Commission communication of 11 March 2020 on a new Circular Economy Action Plan — For a cleaner and more competitive Europe (COM(2020)0098),

— having regard to the Commission communication of 14 October 2020 on a Renovation Wave for Europe — greening our buildings, creating jobs, improving lives (COM(2020)0662),

— having regard to the Commission communication of 9 December 2020 on a Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy — putting European transport on track for the future (COM(2020)0789),

— having regard to the Commission communication of 6 July 2021 on a Strategy for Financing the Transition to a Sustainable Economy (COM(2021)0390),

— having regard to the Commission staff working document of 25 March 2021 entitled ‘Preliminary analysis of the long-term renovation strategies of 13 Member States’ (SWD(2021)0069),

— having regard to the recently published Fit for 55 package,

— having regard to Rule 54 of its Rules of Procedure, as well as Article 1(1)(e) of, and Annex 3 to, the decision of the Conference of Presidents of 12 December 2002 on the procedure for granting authorisation to draw up own-initiative reports,

— having regard to the opinion of the Committee on Transport and Tourism,

— having regard to the report of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (A9-0321/2021),

A. whereas buildings are responsible for 36 % of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and whereas the building renovation sector is one of the key areas for reducing GHGs and reaching the EU’s climate neutrality, energy efficiency and European Green Deal objectives;

B. whereas deep and staged deep renovations of the 210 million existing buildings will be crucial to any convincing strategy, as those are the most energy inefficient with up to 110 million buildings potentially in need of renovation (13);

C. whereas 6 % of EU households were unable to pay their utility bills in 2019; whereas the energy efficiency of buildings can have a positive impact in combating energy poverty;

D. whereas the building renovation rate is currently very low at around 1 % per year, with the rate of deep renovations at 0,2 % per year; whereas renovation programmes do not always cover energy efficiency improvements and increases in renewable energy sources;

E. whereas in accordance with the definition in Article 2(18) of Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 (14) on the Governance of the Energy Union and Climate Action, ‘energy efficiency first’ is a guiding principle of EU energy policy to make energy demand and energy supply more efficient, in particular by means of cost-effective end use energy savings, demand-response initiatives and the more efficient conversion, transmission and distribution of energy;

F. whereas according to an assessment by the Commission, heating and hot water alone account for 79 % of total final energy use in EU households (192,5 Mtoe) (15);

G. whereas the latest revision of the EPBD in 2018 through Directive (EU) 2018/844 (16) aimed to accelerate the renovation of existing buildings by 2050 and to support the modernisation of all buildings with smart technologies and a clearer link to clean mobility, as well as provide a stable environment for investment decisions and enable consumers and businesses to make more informed choices to save energy and money;

H. whereas since the last revision of the EPBD, the EU has adopted the objective of achieving climate neutrality by 2050 at the latest;

I. whereas the EPBD mandates Member States to adopt long-term renovation strategies (LTRSs), but without obliging them to renovate or setting out how to do so, and provides no clear means to check their strategies against results;

J. whereas the LTRSs should adequately support the energy performance of social housing;

K. whereas the building automation and control system measures included in the revised EPBD have not yet been fully transposed in the Member States; whereas implementation would create more certainty for investors and professionals;

L. whereas the Energy Efficiency Directive requires Member States to carry out comprehensive assessments on efficient and renewable heating and cooling with a view to identifying the potential for heating and cooling solutions in the building sector and proposing policies to deliver efficiency and renewable potential;

M. whereas the New European Bauhaus initiative aims to remove the divide between design and function, sustainable living, the smart use of resources, and innovative and inclusive solutions;

N. whereas adequate funding and financing is key to unleashing the Renovation Wave; whereas renovation is a flagship area for investment and reform under the Recovery and Resilience Facility;

O. whereas electric vehicles (EVs) are an important element of the EU’s clean energy transition based on energy efficiency measures, renewable energy, alternative fuels and innovative solutions for the management of energy flexibility and in order to achieve the objective of climate neutrality by 2050 at the latest;

P. whereas the EPBD complements Directive 2014/94/EU on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure by providing a legal basis for the deployment of recharging points in residential and non-residential buildings; whereas the EPBD plays a key role at EU level to support smart, private recharging, given that the majority of recharging is likely to take place in private and on publicly accessible non-residential sites;

Q. whereas private EV chargers often have different applications and technical requirements from public charging points, as they are supplied with less power and are used for longer charging periods, while remaining to a large extent the most affordable type of charging method;

R. whereas the EPBD would need to reflect the requirements for the installation of a minimum number of recharging points for the parking spaces of buildings by mandating the deployment of adequate pre-cabling for EV charging; whereas from 2025 Member States must define a minimum requirement of recharging points for all non-residential buildings, both public and private, which have more than 20 parking spaces, according to the relevant national, regional and local conditions;

Observations

1. Highlights that the provisions of Article 2a of the EPBD will need to be strengthened and implemented effectively to ensure that the building sector successfully contributes to achieving at least 55 % GHG reductions by 2030 and the EU’s target of climate neutrality by 2050 at the latest; believes that the main objective and intermediate milestones and indicators of the EPBD will also need to be adapted in consequence, as the LTRSs are not currently at the requisite levels to achieve the objectives of the EPBD;

2. Stresses that the EPBD and detailed LTRSs should be a driving force to increase the scale, speed, depth and quality of the renovation of Europe’s building stock through new innovative policy measures, as suggested in the Renovation Wave;

3. Regrets the fact that some Member States submitted their LTRSs late and one has yet to even submit theirs; points out that as a result it is difficult to compare the Member States’ plans; highlights the positive fact that late submissions were able to include links to national recovery plans adopted as a result of the COVID-19 crisis and the latest EU policy initiatives such as the European Green Deal and Renovation Wave; notes, however, that this created disparities between those Member States that submitted their LTRSs prior to their pandemic recovery plans;

4. Recalls the importance of making adequate financial resources available through NextGenerationEU in the area of the renovation and energy performance and efficiency of buildings; believes that linking building renovation to recovery funds provides an economic opportunity and a means for Member States to reduce GHG emissions;

5. Notes that the submitted LTRSs have in general broadly respected the requirements of Article 2a of the EPBD, providing information on the different categories laid down therein; regrets the fact, however, that the level of detail and ambition varies from one LTRS to another; regrets the fact that several Member States have not set clear milestones for 2030, 2040 and 2050 as required by Article 2a; regrets the fact, moreover, that not all LTRSs provide GHG reduction data, which makes it difficult to assess the ambition of the strategies in terms of climate mitigation; believes that the LTRSs should work to create clear measures and monitoring tools to triple the yearly renovation rate, taking into account the different starting points and building stocks across the Member States;

6. Points out that Member States broadly focused on decarbonising energy supply systems and on GHG emissions, rather than actively developing dedicated measures and policies aimed at improving the energy performance of buildings by applying the energy efficiency first principle and thereby reducing overall energy consumption in the sector as part of an integrated systems approach to energy; stresses that energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy should be maximised across the entire energy value chain, including electricity, heat and gas, and not only for individual buildings;

7. Calls on the Commission to closely monitor whether the objectives of the LTRSs are aligned with the Renovation Wave, the heating and cooling comprehensive assessments required by the Energy Efficiency Directive and Renewable Energy Directive ( 17 ) , and the new climate and energy targets for each Member State according to their building stock;

8. Calls on the Member States to foster renovation that favours the energy system integration of renewables in buildings, such as the installation of EV charging infrastructure, thermal storage and connection to smart grids; encourages the Member States and the Commission to promote the sharing of best practices;

9. Believes that citizens’ engagement in the green transition and building renovations is key to their success; stresses that involving experts and harnessing public expertise can help to improve implementation; calls on the Member States to provide sufficient transparency throughout the public consultation process on LTRSs and to ensure that the process is inclusive by facilitating the involvement of all of the relevant stakeholders in accordance with the specific requirements of the EPBD;

10. Regrets the fact that the EU did not achieve its energy efficiency target in 2020; highlights that there is a collective ambition gap in terms of national contributions under the national energy and climate plans to achieve the energy efficiency target in 2030 and that Member States will therefore need to significantly ramp up their efforts;

11. Notes that construction is a complex activity that requires close coordination between a large number of professionals and craftspeople and relies on the use of a wide range of construction techniques and materials; believes that the review of the EPBD needs to consider the interaction with other sustainable construction policies and material neutrality in order to decarbonise European buildings efficiently;

12. Highlights the importance of sustainability in material use and resource consumption of a building’s lifecycle, from material extraction, construction and use, to end of use and demolition as well as recycling and reuse, including renewable and sustainable nature-based materials; highlights, moreover, that building planning should utilise the circular economy during the different stages of the construction process;

13. Supports the use of sustainable, innovative and non-toxic construction materials and highlights the importance of strengthening the circularity of building materials by implementing or creating a circular economy labelling system based on environmental standards and specific criteria for certain materials; notes that further research is required into sustainable materials and sustainable processes; highlights that wood-based materials can play a role in substituting fossil-based alternatives in the construction of buildings and highlights their long-term carbon storage potential;

14. Acknowledges that while deep renovations have the advantage of bringing about holistic change in a building’s energy performance, staged and staged deep renovations can allow for less disruptive and more cost-efficient renovation measures by aligning them with given ‘trigger points’; notes that such occasions are prompted by either practical opportunities, personal circumstances, change of ownership, or a change of tenant in rental properties; encourages the Member States to consider how to use ‘trigger points’ to incentivise renovations; notes that one-step and staged renovations are not in competition with each other, but are both suitable solutions depending on the particular situation; believes that staged and staged deep renovations must be carried out in line with deep renovation standards to avoid lock-in effects by ensuring a building renovation roadmap;

15. Notes that the current definition of nearly zero-energy buildings in the EPBD is of a qualitative nature and leaves a wide margin of discretion to the Member States in setting standards accordingly; calls on the Commission to introduce a ‘deep renovation’ standard to achieve energy savings and GHG emission reductions as well as a harmonised definition of nearly zero-energy buildings;

16. Believes that renovations and standards for new builds should address fire safety and risks related to intense seismic activity, which affect the energy efficiency and lifetime of buildings, and should incorporate high standards on health; calls on the Member States to develop an electrical inspection regime in view of the fact that 30 % of domestic fires and 50 % of domestic accidental fires have an electrical source ( 18 ) ; believes that renovations of the European building stock should integrate electrical safety checks and upgrades and ensure sufficient ventilation for smoke in case of fire; underlines that the LTRSs should also contribute to the static and structural reinforcement of building stocks;

17. Reiterates the need to take into account the presence of asbestos-containing products in buildings and to remove these products and protect buildings from the emission of asbestos into the environment when they are upgraded for energy efficiency purposes ( 19 )

18. Regrets the fact that although the deadline to transpose the EPBD expired on 10 March 2020, some Member States have still not fully implemented this legislation;

19. Recalls the importance of putting in place adequate incentives for the renovation of buildings as well as financial measures conditional on energy efficiency improvements and energy savings, in accordance with Article 10(6) of the EPDB and in order to ensure the affordability of renovations;

20. Highlights the importance of clear and accurate information on energy performance and energy costs for prospective buyers and prospective tenants; recognises the need to improve and better harmonise energy performance certificates (EPCs) across the Member States in order to make them easier to compare, of better quality and more reliable, while also taking into account the different starting points and building stocks across the Member States; believes, therefore, that the EPCs should be made easier to access and read, should display practical information on real energy performance, particularly on the actual carbon footprint of a building, should be digitised, and should integrate information from the local market at EU level and information regarding indoor environmental quality parameters such as thermal comfort; highlights that the EPCs could therefore be used for optional demand-response services as a reference for regulatory measures, funding programmes and integrated renovation policies;

21. Highlights the gap between real energy performance and performance calculated through the EPCs, which is a source of confusion for EPC users; highlights the need to integrate the building renovation passport, digital building logbook, and smart readiness indicator (SRI) within the EPC framework to avoid a multiplication of tools and bring more clarity to consumers; believes that this will facilitate renovation, increase its depth, ensure coordination between the different measures over time, and capture multiple benefits;

22. Recalls that the LTRSs should include the wider benefits of renovations such as health, safety, thermal comfort and indoor air quality; notes that according to a Commission study ( 20 ) , health was the primary incentive of private homeowners when carrying out energy renovations, with a clear connection between home quality, energy poverty and health; believes that indoor air quality should be included when Member States promote building renovation through public incentive schemes and information campaigns, among other initiatives; encourages the Member States to improve data collection on indoor environmental quality parameters with a view to developing minimum indoor environmental quality standards;

23. Highlights that ambitious goals for deep and staged deep renovation of the existing building stock could create up to 2 million jobs ( 21 ) , mostly local, non-outsourceable positions especially in small and medium-sized enterprises, and provide clean and affordable energy to consumers and deliver improvements to occupants’ living conditions;

24. Recalls that public buildings must lead the way in renovation rates and in achieving decarbonisation, energy efficiency and cost effectiveness, thereby helping to raise awareness and garner acceptance among the wider public;

25. Reiterates its call for the promotion of an EU skills initiative, including aspects to encourage gender inclusivity, together with national efforts in order to enable intermediaries such as installers, architects or contractors to advise, prescribe or install the requisite solutions, including digital solutions, to deliver energy efficiency programmes and a decarbonised building stock, as well as focusing on the upskilling and reskilling of all actors involved in the construction sector; deems it necessary that the Member States provide a clear link between their national LTRSs and adequate initiatives to promote skills and education in the construction and energy efficiency sectors;

26. Believes that the principles of cost efficiency and of cost neutrality whereby rent increases are balanced with energy savings will reduce energy bills for end-use consumers; encourages the Member States to systematically include in their LTRSs policies and actions to tackle energy poverty and the worst-performing buildings in their national building stocks and to counter market distortions and speculative acquisitions that lead to higher rents, which disproportionately affect low-income tenants; recalls that the burden placed on the most vulnerable consumers by variability in the energy markets can be significantly reduced by enhancing energy efficiency in buildings; emphasises the need to ensure flexible financial support and mechanisms for these consumers in order to help tackle energy poverty; notes, however, that incentives to reduce renovation costs for specific target groups and sectors should be considered;

27. Highlights that the EPBD should ensure that renovation delivers return on investment for homeowners and building owners by establishing real and measured improvements in the energy performance of buildings; underscores that an approach based on the measured energy saved as a result of renovation will drive down the cost and increase the depth, quality and scale of energy efficiency retrofits for existing buildings; asks the Commission to investigate whether a revision of the cost-optimal level, as defined in Article 2(14), is necessary as part of the EPBD review;

28. Welcomes the relative success of one-stop shops and emphasises the critical role they can play in connecting potential projects with market players, including citizens, public authorities and project developers, in particular smaller-scale projects; notes that there is no common understanding on what a one-stop shop is, as the existing models across the EU differ in terms of structure, management and the type of assistance provided; recalls the importance of increasing awareness of one-stop shops, including at local and regional levels; stresses that one-stop shops can play a considerable role in addressing the issue of lengthy and cumbersome permit procedures and in promoting access to funding for building renovation, helping to disseminate information on terms and conditions; believes that one-stop shops should advise and support both single-family homes and multi-unit buildings and provide support for accredited installers;

29. Recalls that Article 19 of the EPBD sets out a review clause, including an ex post evaluation to be carried out by 2026 at the latest; highlights that this should enable lessons to be learnt from the implementation of the EPBD and serve to assess the progress made in its application across the Union;

Recommendations

30. Stresses that the EPBD is crucial to successfully delivering on the Renovation Wave and emissions reduction;

31. Calls on the Member States to ensure the proper implementation of the directive in all its aspects, with particular regard to the social housing stock; calls on the Commission to continue monitoring this implementation and to take action, where necessary, in the event of non-compliance;

32. Calls on the Commission to strengthen the current provisions of the EPBD to ensure that Member States’ LTRSs are consistent with the EU’s climate neutrality goals and energy targets; highlights that building renovations will need to be carried out at a rate of 3 % per year for deep and staged deep retrofits in order for the EU to achieve climate neutrality by 2050;

33. Calls on the Commission to investigate how to formulate a standard template that Member States could use to ensure they address all of the requirements of Article 2a of the EPBD and to harmonise the objectives and requirements to ensure better comparability of progress and results, and an assessment of national recovery and resilience plans, or any other EU funding, for which a complete LTRS is a condition; encourages the Commission to create an ad hoc network of experts to support Member States in the design, monitoring and implementation processes of their LTRSs;

34. Calls on the Commission to consider how to facilitate further the development of one-stop shops that provide advisory services to citizens and other stakeholders, including through more stringent measures in the EPBD; is convinced that additional guidance and support measures, notably technical assistance, information campaigns, training and project financing, can lead to a higher renovation rate;

35. Calls on the Member States to maximise synergies between their LTRSs, their national recovery and resilience plans and other recovery measures, thus ensuring that NextGenerationEU both provides immediate funding for deep and staged deep renovations, with particular regard to worst performing buildings and low income households, and creates the enabling framework for lead markets in sustainable renovation to continue growing beyond the end of the financing term;

36. Considers that the digitalisation of buildings and construction technologies, where feasible, can play an important role in increasing energy efficiency; believes that the revision of the EPBD should serve to further promote smart and flexible buildings technologies in line with the energy efficiency first principle and foster a data-centric approach; encourages the use and deployment of emerging technologies such as smart meters, smart charging, smart heating appliances, storage technologies and energy management systems that are interoperable with the energy grid, 3D modelling and simulation and artificial intelligence in order to drive carbon emissions reductions at every stage of a building’s lifecycle, beginning with the planning and design phases and continuing into construction, operations and retrofit;

37. Highlights that up-to-date, reliable and complete data on the performance of the entire European building stock is key to developing and implementing effective policies aimed at improving the energy efficiency of the sector; notes that digital technologies should also be used to support the mapping of the existing stock and support LTRS deployment;

38. Believes that a data-centric approach should be deployed to ensure a wider availability of aggregated and anonymised data for homeowners, tenants and third parties, who can use it to optimise energy consumption, including through GDPR-secure consent schemes, as well as for statistical and research purposes;

39. Encourages the Member States to ensure effective, ambitious and consistent implementation of the approved SRI scheme across the EU; points out that the SRI should serve to achieve the Renovation Wave and energy system integration by supporting the uptake of smart and flexible buildings; recognises that the SRI will help to further encourage the design and construction of new buildings as zero-energy buildings;

40. Believes that the LTRSs should provide more details for long-term action and integrated infrastructure planning based on a roadmap with concrete policies and a timeline with clear milestones for 2030, 2040 and 2050, in order to create a more stable environment for investors, developers, homeowners and tenants and address the entire lifecycle impact of buildings; stresses that the Member States must improve access to a range of financial and fiscal mechanisms to support the mobilisation of private investments and foster public and private partnerships; calls for action to promote loans that set energy efficiency as a criterion for lower interest rates;

41. Highlights that the EPBD should ensure that renovation delivers value for money and a return on investment for homeowners and building owners, reduced energy bills and improved sustainability by establishing real and measured improvements in the energy performance of buildings; underlines that an approach based on the actual energy saved as a result of renovation will drive down the cost and increase both the quality and scale of the energy efficiency retrofits for building renovations;

42. Highlights the potential of green infrastructure such as green roofs and walls in improving the energy performance of buildings and promoting climate adaptation and mitigation and biodiversity, particularly in urban areas;

43. Calls for the Member States to use the LTRSs to implement innovative policies to actively involve citizens in their establishment and implementation and in energy efficiency programmes; stresses the importance of involving and mobilising stakeholders, including citizens, local municipalities, housing associations and building professionals, in the creation of integrated plans and implementation strategies for the decarbonisation of buildings;

44. Acknowledges the different construction and renovation dynamics for different types of buildings (public and private, non-residential and residential) in the Member States; calls on the Commission to provide a framework to introduce minimum energy performance standards, accounting for different starting points and building stocks across the Member States, notably buildings of special architectural or historical merit, to accelerate renovation rates and provide visibility to the entire value chain about expected improvements and to stimulate innovation, while ensuring affordability, particularly for those on low incomes and in vulnerable situations;

45. Calls on the Member States to develop an integrated and embedded framework which includes relevant financing and technical assistance for the gradual introduction of minimum energy performance standards, which will ultimately ensure the achievement of the 2030, 2040 and 2050 milestones set out in their LTRSs; underlines that such minimum standards would help to roll out the pathway to climate neutrality in the building sector by 2050 at the latest, and could provide visibility and security for the market regarding the transformation of the existing building stock; recognises that the Member States have the flexibility to devise the requisite measures to accommodate different economic, climate, political, social and construction conditions; considers that specific financial instruments and incentives should be provided for buildings with technical, architectural, heritage-related and historical constraints that may not be renovated at a reasonable cost compared to the property’s value;

46. Calls on the Commission to link the LTRSs with the relevant provisions of the Energy Efficiency Directive and the Renewable Energy Directive on efficient district heating and cooling and on the promotion of renewable energy in the building sector, such as solar, thermal and geothermal energy, as well as a greater role for energy storage and self-consumption in response to grid and micro-grid signals, while recognising that fossil fuels, especially natural gas, are currently employed in heating systems for buildings; notes that consumers need support to switch away from fossil fuels;

47. Calls on the Member States to fully implement the provisions of Articles 14 and 15(4) of the EPBD, providing citizens and professionals with clear details on how the building, automation and control system can deliver the mandatory capabilities as soon as possible, in order to ensure that all of the preparatory action is taken without delay and before the 2025 deadline; calls on the Commission and the Member States to consider using tools or checklists developed by experts and professionals when transposing those provisions;

48. Calls on the Member States to target the decarbonisation of heating and cooling in buildings, in line with the priorities of the Renovation Wave, and to consider incentive schemes, with a focus on the most vulnerable consumers, to replace old, fossil-based and inefficient heating systems in buildings, including by introducing replacement targets in line with the LTRSs;

49. Recalls its demand for the next revision to evaluate the need to increase the charging infrastructure requirements in the EPBD, taking into account the need to ensure grid stability, for instance by putting in place smart charging functionalities, and to foster sustainable mobility, as well as include an integrated, systematic and circular approach for both urban and rural developments, in accordance with proper urban planning and transport routes;

50. Encourages the Member States to consider how best to reap the benefits of a district-based approach for large-scale renovations in conjunction with stakeholders and local communities;

51. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure that charging points in buildings are ready for smart charging and to align the requirements with the revised Renewable Energy Directive; calls on the Member States to develop a framework to help to simplify and accelerate the deployment of charging points in new and existing residential and non-residential buildings, to address possible regulatory barriers, and to promote suitable ways to ensure easy access and storage for bicycles in building design;

52. Welcomes the Commission’s recognition of the importance of e-mobility by introducing minimum requirements for car parks over a certain size and other minimum infrastructure requirements for smaller buildings; emphasises that the roll-out of this recharging infrastructure must be further supported;

53. Emphasises the important role that the renovation of existing buildings and design of new buildings can play in encouraging the uptake of EVs such as cars, vans, bikes and motorcycles by providing both adequate parking spaces and charging infrastructure, thereby contributing to the overall decarbonisation of the transport sector; notes that with such an intervention buildings can be made healthier, greener and interconnected within a neighbourhood district, as well as more resilient to the negative impacts of climate change; calls on the Commission to consider extending the scope of mobility of the EPBD by introducing minimum requirements, where feasible, in different types of buildings for the parking infrastructure of bicycles and recharging points for electric bicycles;

54. Welcomes the recognition of the importance of the pre-cabling infrastructure requirements in new residential and non-residential buildings as one of the conditions for the rapid deployment of recharging points; calls on the Commission to encourage the inclusion of such requirements in the national policy frameworks;

55. Stresses that the availability of charging points is one of the incentives for a private residential or homeowner to opt for an e-mobility solution; notes, however, that the EPBD currently only lays down requirements on ducting infrastructure for new buildings and buildings undergoing major renovation with more than 10 parking spaces; points out that the directive provides for an opt-out if the cost of the recharging and ducting installations exceeds 7 % of the total cost of the overall renovation of the building; calls on the Commission, in cooperation with the Member States, to carry out a cost analysis to examine possible ways to encourage developers to deploy adequate infrastructure for EV users;

56. Recalls that the Member States must lay down requirements for the installation of a number of recharging points for all non-residential buildings with more than 20 parking spaces by 1 January 2025; notes the importance, in this regard, of identifying shortcomings with the implementation of the EPBD, the revision of which should incorporate provisions to further encourage and facilitate the deployment of private and public charging infrastructure in residential and non-residential buildings;

57. Emphasises that e-mobility solutions must be readily accessible to all people; highlights, in this regard, the need to renovate buildings including car parks in order to improve the accessibility of people with reduced mobility; stresses the need, moreover, to set aside storage space for mobility devices in renovated and new buildings, including for wheelchairs and pushchairs;

58. Welcomes the recognition of the measures needed to facilitate and expedite the deployment of recharging infrastructure by addressing existing barriers such as split incentives and administrative burdens; points out, however, that administrative barriers continue to exist at national and local level with regard to infrastructural planning and permit procedures for recharging infrastructure, which are hampering the deployment of recharging infrastructure in new and existing residential and non-residential buildings; emphasises that further efforts are required to remove these clear administrative barriers;

59. Underlines the notion that recharging EVs in residential and non-residential buildings needs to complement publicly accessible recharging infrastructure to ensure the recharging capacity of EVs; highlights the need to increase investment in e-mobility and to deploy charging infrastructure capable of smart charging, which can facilitate peak shifting and demand response, creating cheaper and more efficient energy electricity grids that require less generation capacity and infrastructure;

60. Believes that the deployment of public, semi-public and private smart charging infrastructure remains a core pre-condition to boost the market uptake of EVs; calls, therefore, for more investment in buildings and mobility, boosting innovation and the use of digital tools for e-mobility;

61. Points out that the relevant EU laws should facilitate the introduction of charging points for EVs in conjunction with renovations, new builds and new installations; highlights the importance of investment in public charging stations along core network corridors and on the comprehensive network, but emphasises that these can only be in addition to the much larger number of charging points that will be needed in urban areas; points out that the most cost-effective and practical way of speeding up the shift to electric power of vehicle fleets is to make charging points available near households and workplaces, where they serve as a fundamental adjunct to the necessary but more costly fast-charging infrastructure;

62. Highlights the importance of ensuring inclusive, cohesive and sustainable mobility for all Europeans and regions, including the outermost regions; underlines the importance of promoting alternative, inclusive, safe and sustainable modes of transport and the requisite infrastructure for this; calls on the Member States to ascertain socioeconomic and territorial cohesion when designing their requirements for the installation of a minimum number of recharging points; urges the Member States to identify and address any social, economic, legal, regulatory and administrative barriers to the rapid development of recharging points;

63. Recognises the importance of maintaining existing urban green spaces and sustainable urban drainage systems to the fullest possible extent when planning the construction of residential and non-residential charging infrastructure and parking spaces;

64. Notes that only a few Member States have reported promising progress on EV recharging infrastructure in buildings and car parks; expresses concern at the lack of progress in other Member States and calls for a wider range of data to be made available more swiftly; notes that most Member States have provided estimates for the uptake of EVs and targets for the deployment of electric rechargers for the year 2020; points out, however, that just two thirds of the Member States provided data on targets for 2025 and 2030;

65. Points out that several local authorities have started formulating decarbonisation plans that also include setting binding deadlines on banning the use of internal combustion engines in vehicles; calls on these authorities to ensure that their plans include dedicated financial and technical support to adapt their building stock in order to meet their decarbonisation plans;

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66. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission.

(1) OJ C 385, 22.9.2021, p. 68.

(2) OJ C 456, 10.11.2021, p. 145.

(3) Texts adopted, P9_TA(2021)0240.

(4) Texts adopted, P9_TA(2021)0241.

(5) OJ L 153, 18.6.2010, p. 13.

(6) OJ L 315, 14.11.2012, p. 1.

(7) OJ L 307, 28.10.2014, p. 1.

(8) OJ L 111, 25.4.2019, p. 13.

(9) OJ L 243, 9.7.2021, p. 1.

(10) OJ L 127, 16.5.2019, p. 34.

(11) OJ L 165, 21.6.2019, p. 70.

(12) OJ C 270, 7.7.2021, p. 2.

(13) European Parliament Directorate-General for Internal Policies, Policy Department for Economic and Scientific Policy, Boosting Building Renovation: What Potential and Value for Europe?, October 2016.

(14) Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 on the Governance of the Energy Union and Climate Action, amending Regulations (EC) No 663/2009 and (EC) No 715/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Directives 94/22/EC, 98/70/EC, 2009/31/EC, 2009/73/EC, 2010/31/EU, 2012/27/EU and 2013/30/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council, Council Directives 2009/119/EC and (EU) 2015/652 and repealing Regulation (EU) No 525/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 328, 21.12.2018, p. 1.).

(15) Study entitled ‘Mapping and analyses of the current and future (2020-2030) heating/cooling fuel deployment (fossil/renewables), March 2017.

(16) OJ L 156, 19.6.2018, p. 75.

(17) OJ L 328, 21.12.2018, p. 82.

(18) Forum for European Electrical Domestic Safety (FEEDS), ‘In the news: the European Parliament calls on Member States to develop an electrical inspection regime’.

(19) European Parliament resolution of 20 October 2021 with recommendations to the Commission on protecting workers from asbestos (Texts adopted, P9_TA(2021)0427).

(20) Comprehensive study of building energy renovation activities and the uptake of nearly zero-energy buildings in the EU, November 2019.

(21) Commission communication of 27 May 2020 entitled ‘Europe’s moment: Repair and Prepare for the Next Generation’ (COM(2020)0456).