Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on mobilising Information and Communication Technologies to facilitate the transition to an energy-efficient, low-carbon economy {SEC(2009) 268} {SEC(2009) 269} {SEC(2009) 270}
Date: 2009-03-12
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: carbon, climate change, energy policy, energy resources, energy saving, environmental protection, information technology, pollution, telecommunications industry

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COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 12.3.2009 
COM(2009) 111 final 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS  

on mobilising Information and Communication Technologies to facilitate the transition 
to an energy-efficient, low-carbon economy 

{SEC(2009) 268} 
{SEC(2009) 269} 
{SEC(2009) 270}

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1. 

INTRODUCTION  

In  December  2008,  the  European  Union  reiterated  its  commitment1  to  meeting  its  energy 
savings  and  carbon  emissions  targets  by  2020  and  stressed  the  urgency  to  step  up  efforts 
towards improving energy efficiency2. Energy efficiency is at the heart of the Union’s efforts 
to tackle the problems of energy security and climate change3. With the recent financial crisis 
and downturn in the European economy, the case for energy and resource efficiency gains has 
become even stronger. 

Reorienting  technological  innovation  towards  the  challenges  of  energy-efficient  and  low-
carbon  growth  will  help  Europe  emerge  from  the  economic  crisis  on  a  more  sustainable 
footing.  Information  and  Communication  Technologies  (ICTs)  are  known  for  their  broader, 
economy-wide capacity for energy saving and for their potential to effect rapid and profound 
change across every facet of society, government and industry.  

What  is  now  needed  is  a  policy  framework  that  embeds  ICTs  squarely  in  the  efforts  to 
confront  the  crises  we  face  today.  Europe  has  an  opportunity  to  take  a  leading  position  in 
delivering  such  a  framework  and  the  challenge  is  to  seize  it.  A  number  of  international 
organisations  including  the  OECD4  are  also  looking  at  ICTs  in  anticipation  of  the  United 
Nations  Climate  Change  Conference  which  will  determine  the  follow-up  to  the  Kyoto 
protocol. 

This Communication presents a set of ambitious measures that focus on what can be achieved 
in the short term both by the ICT sector and by fully exploiting the enabling capacity of 
ICTs  in  all  sectors  of  society  and  the  economy.  It  provides  the  background  to  a 
Recommendation  to  be  adopted  by  the  Commission  in  the  second  half  of  2009.  The 
Recommendation  will  set  out  tasks,  targets  and  timelines,  for  industry  stakeholders  and 
Member States to accelerate progress towards these ends. 

2. 

WHAT ROLE CAN ICTS PLAY? 

The potential of ICTs to improve energy efficiency is generally accepted5,6. However, in the 
absence  of  specific  policy  measures,  to  coordinate  fragmented  efforts  and  to  incentivise 
action,  this  potential  may  not  be  realised  in the  timeframe  of  the  2020  targets.  ICTs  have  a 
dual contribution to make:  

1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 

Council of the European Union, Presidency Conclusions 7224/1/07, 4 May 2007. 
Council of the European Union, Presidency Conclusions 17271/08, 12 December 2008. 
COM(2006) 545; COM(2008) 30. 
OECD Conference ICTs, the Environment and Climate Change, Copenhagen, May 2009. 
COM(2008) 772. 
COM(2008)  241  —  This  Communication  takes  account  of  the  opinions  delivered  by  the  European 
Economic  and  Social  Committee,  the  Committee  of  the  Regions  and  the  own  initiative  Resolution 
adopted by the European Parliament. 

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The enabling role of ICTs  

ICTs  can  enable  energy  efficiency  improvements  by  reducing  the  amount  of  energy 
required to deliver a given service: 

–  By  monitoring  and  directly  managing  energy  consumption,  ICTs  can  enable  efficiency 
improvements in major energy-using sectors. Recent studies suggest that this capacity can 
be  exploited  to  reduce  energy  consumption  of  buildings  in  the  EU  by  up  to  17%  and  to 
reduce carbon emissions in transport logistics by up to 27%7. 

–  By  providing  the  tools  for  more  energy-efficient  business  models,  working  practices  and 
lifestyles, such as eCommerce, teleworking and eGovernment applications, and advanced 
collaboration  technologies,  ICTs  can  reduce  demand  for  energy  and  other  material 
resources. 

–  By delivering innovative technologies, ICTs can reduce wasteful consumption of energy; 
solid-state  lighting  is  one  clear  example.  Emerging  solutions  in  computing  such  as  thin 
client8,  grid  computing  and  virtualisation  technologies  promise  to  reduce  redundancies 
existing in today’s systems. 

The quantifying role of ICTs  

ICTs can provide the quantitative basis on which energy-efficient strategies can be devised, 
implemented and evaluated. 

–  Smart metering exploits the capacity of ICTs to quantify energy consumption and provide 
appropriate  information  to  consumers.  If  consumers  can  understand  where  inefficiencies 
come from, they can act to mitigate or eradicate them completely. Trials with smart meters 
in  the  EU  show  that  providing  information  to  consumers  on  their  actual  energy 
consumption can lead to reductions of up to 10%9. 

–  ICTs  can  also  address  the  complexities  of  measuring  energy  performance  at  a  system10 
level:  software  tools  can  provide  information  and  data  on  how  to  better  configure  the 
various  elements  of  a  system  so  as  to  optimise  its  overall  energy  performance  in  a  cost-
effective  manner.  With  the  imperative  need  for  energy  and  environmentally  conscious 
design  and  planning,  these  software  tools  will  spread  from  smaller  to  more  complex 
systems, including urban areas and cities.  

The  mere  existence  of  the  2020  targets  makes  accurate  and  verifiable  quantification  of 
energy consumption a crucially important issue. More than any other sector, the ICT sector is 
best equipped to deliver on this challenge, and furthermore deliver the solutions and tools to 
support others in doing the same. 

7 

8 
9 
10 

Bio Intelligence Impacts of Information and Communication Technologies on Energy Efficiency. 
Smart 2020 Enabling the low-carbon economy in the information age. 
Computers without hard disk drives; they rely mostly on central servers for data-processing activities. 
Report on Methodology for Estimating Energy Savings, ESMA, March 2008. 
In  this  context,  a  system  consists  of  many  energy-consuming  entities;  examples  include  data  centres, 
buildings, factories and cities. 

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3. 

MAKING THE MOST OF ICTS: CHALLENGES AND SCOPE FOR ACTION 

A widespread data gathering and analysis exercise11 has been carried out by the Commission, 
to  assess  the  potential  role  of  ICTs  in  helping  Member  States  meet  the  2020  targets.  The 
findings brought to light several challenges and enabled lines of action to be identified.  

Identifying the challenges 

The  use  of  ICT  equipment  in  the  delivery  of  services  represents  about  1.75%  of  carbon 
emissions in Europe; a further 0.25% of carbon emissions come from the production of ICT 
and  consumer  electronic  equipment.  As  the  range  and  penetration  of  ICTs  increase,  their 
overall energy use is growing12.  

The  other  sectors  of  the  economy  and  of  society  are  responsible  for  the  remaining  98%  of 
carbon  emissions.  This  is  where  the  enabling  capacity  of  ICTs  is  expected  to  make  the 
greatest contribution to reducing emissions - up to 15% by 2020 according to some reports13 - 
as well as cost savings.  

Some ICT companies have committed to targets on energy savings and emissions reduction14. 
The targets and timelines, though often ambitious, differ widely, and there is little common 
basis  for  the  sector  to  identify  precisely  where  opportunities  for  greater  efficiencies  lie  and 
where efforts should be focused. Furthermore, quantitative data on the benefits achieved and 
achievable  through  ICTs  is  often  inconsistent15.  The  consequent  difficulty  of  comparing 
energy-saving solutions, especially at a system level, can act as a deterrent to their adoption.  

Eliminating such inconsistencies will require harmonised methodologies for measurement and 
quantification  of  energy  performance.  This  will,  in  turn,  provide  reliable  data  for  devising, 
implementing and evaluating energy-saving strategies.  

The need for action 

Unless  there  is  a  more  systematic  approach  across  the  ICT  sector  to  measuring  and 
quantifying the energy performance of its own processes, there is a strong chance that the real 
benefits of ICT will be overlooked or misunderstood. 

In  the  absence  of  a  means  by  which  consumers,  whether  individuals,  businesses  or  public 
administrations,  can  verify  and  compare  potential  energy-saving  strategies  offered  by  ICTs 
and  their  cost  effectiveness,  the  threat  that  so-called  greenwashing16  will  take  market  share 
from solutions that offer legitimate benefits is very real.  

In order to promote legitimacy, transparency and real progress in the application of ICTs to 
improving  energy  efficiency,  there  is  a  clear  need  to  create  a  level  playing  field  based  on 
common ways of measuring energy performance – especially in more complex systems – and 
on a common understanding of commitments, targets and methodology.  

11 

12 
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Results of the Public Consultation on Information and Communication Technologies Enabling Energy 
Efficiency; Report of the Ad Hoc advisory group on ICT for Energy Efficiency. 
Smart 2020 report. 
Bio Intelligence study. 
Smart 2020 report. 
The differences in data presented in the Bio Intelligence study and the Smart 2020 report illustrate this. 
See for example The six sins of greenwashing: www.terrachoice.com/files/6_sins.pdf. 

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To  this  end,  the  Commission  intends  to  issue  a  Recommendation  setting  out  measures  that 
will pave the way for ICTs to contribute to energy efficiency gains and emissions reductions 
across  the  economy  and  society,  in  a  measurable  and  verifiable  way.  The  measures  will  be 
structured around the three following strands of action.  

–  Firstly, the ICT sector will be invited to set itself targets and reach a collective agreement 
on  measurement  methodologies  that  focus  on  accuracy,  transparency  and  verifiability  of 
the  energy  consumption  and  carbon  emissions  of  its  processes,  at  company  and  sector 
level.  

–  Secondly,  working  partnerships  between  the  ICT  sector  and  other  major  energy-using 
sectors will be encouraged to identify where and how ICTs can play a role in improving 
efficiency and reducing emissions in those sectors and thus accelerate the delivery of tools 
to assess and to optimise energy performance on a comparable basis.  

–  Thirdly, Member States should be called upon to enable the EU-wide roll-out of ICT tools 
likely to trigger a shift in the behaviour of consumers, businesses and communities and at 
the  same  time  drive  demand  for  innovative  ICT  solutions  to  optimise  the  energy 
performance of their own operations.  

4. 

THE GENERAL CONTEXT OF THE RECOMMENDATION 

4.1. 

Reducing the energy and carbon footprints of ICTs 

The  ICT  sector  as  a  whole  employs  6.6  million  people  across  the  27  EU  Member  States.  It 
boosts  the  innovation  capacity  of  all  sectors  and  contributes  to  more  than  40%  of  overall 
productivity growth17.  

ICTs are now embedded in almost all parts of the European economy. As a result of its own 
success, use of ICT products and services represents about 7.8% of electricity consumption in 
the EU and may grow to 10.5% by 202018. 

The increased consumption that arises from the growing use of ICT products is addressed by 
several legal instruments already in place. Under the Directive on the eco-design of Energy-
using  Products  (EuP)19,  minimum  energy  requirements  will  be  set  for  products  such  as 
external  power  supplies  and  computers.  The  Regulation  on  the  Energy  Star  programme20 
awards the Energy Star to the best performing products in the market and requires Member 
States  to  apply  demanding  energy  efficiency  criteria  in  the  public  procurement  of  office 
equipment.  

Other measures, such as the Ecolabel Regulation21, complement this framework, providing for 
continuous improvements of ICT products throughout their life cycle including their energy 
efficiency.  The  Action  Plan  on  Sustainable  Consumption  and  Production  and  Sustainable 

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Van Ark: EU KLEMS Growth and Productivity Accounts, 2007. 
Bio Intelligence study. 
Directive 2005/32/EC 
Regulation (EC) N° 106/2008 of 15 January 2008 
Regulation (EC) No 1980/2000 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 July 2000 (OJ L 
237, 20.9.2000, p. 1). 

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Industrial  Policy22  provides  an  integrated  and  comprehensive  framework  to  further  develop 
and  strengthen  the  implementation  of  the  above-mentioned  measures.  In  addition,  EU 
legislation provides for the reduction of environmental impacts of ICT equipment at the end 
of its life23. 

There exists an untapped potential for the ICT sector to focus on systemic improvements and 
further  reduce  the  energy  consumption  of  its  own  processes  (including  operations, 
manufacturing,  service  delivery  and  the  supply  chain).  If  the  sector  were  to  adopt  a  more 
systematic  approach  to  monitoring  and  measuring  energy  consumption  at  every  step  in  a 
process, it could generate verifiable and comparable data, allowing it to identify opportunities 
for improvement, and to develop and apply solutions. 

The ICT sector should be called upon to engage collectively in a process of self-improvement 
by agreeing on common methodologies and metrology tools to generate data about its energy 
performance,  set  realistic  targets  and  benchmark  progress.  Such  efforts  should  give  due 
consideration to the full life cycle and related environmental impact. The ICT sector should 
lead  by  example  and  will  be  encouraged  to  commit  to  ambitious  targets  in  relation  to  the 
European  2020  targets.In  addition  to  the  environmental  and  cost  benefits,  such  efforts  will 
undoubtedly lead to innovative practices that can be replicated in other industries.  

The Recommendation will focus on buildings and construction, and on transport logistics, in 
view of their relatively large share in overall energy consumption and of ongoing endeavours 
by the Commission and Member States in these sectors.  

4.1.1.  Buildings and construction 

Buildings account for approximately 40% of energy end-use in the EU, of which more than 
50%  is  electrical  power.  The  sector  has  significant  untapped  potential  for  cost-effective 
energy savings which, if realised, would mean an 11% reduction in total energy consumption 
in the EU by 202024.  

Under  the  EuP  Directive,  implementing  measures  laying  down  requirements  for  energy  and 
environmental  performance,  are  being  enacted  for  ICT  products  used  in  the  buildings  and 
construction  sector.  There  is  scope  for  ICT  to  contribute  to  further  realising  this  potential, 
through  the  application  of  building  and  energy  management  systems,  smart  metering 
technologies,  solid-state  lighting  and  lighting  control  systems,  intelligent  sensors  and 
optimisation  software.  In  view  of  the  contribution  to  energy  performance  of  many  different 
factors,  including  materials  and  technologies,  and  the  various  potential  trade-offs  among 
them, developing a systemic understanding of the energy performance of a building is highly 
desirable.  As  part  of  the  Recovery  Plan  adopted  in  November  200825,  the  Commission 
proposes to launch partnerships between the public and private sectors to further develop and 
demonstrate green technologies and energy-efficient systems and materials in buildings with a 
view to reducing radically their energy consumption and carbon emissions. 

The  proposed  recast  of  the  Directive  on  the  Energy  Performance  of  Buildings  (EPBD) 
introduces  a  general  framework  for  a  methodology  to  calculate  the  energy  performance  of 

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23  
24 
25  

COM(2008) 397. 
Directive 2002/95/EC and Directive 2002/96/EC 
COM(2008) 780. 
COM(2008) 800. 

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buildings.  Implementation  of  the  Directive  will  yield  a  large  amount  of  information  on  the 
make-up of building stock across Europe26.  

Such information provides a useful baseline for the buildings and construction sector, as well 
as policy-makers. It also opens up opportunities for the development of software applications 
and tools for the purpose of compliance with the EPBD.  

The ICT sector will be invited to work together with the buildings and construction sector to 
identify  areas  where  the  impact  and  cost-effectiveness  of  ICTs  can  be  maximised,  and  to 
specify requirements. They should also promote interoperability between auditing tools, and 
building  and  energy  management  systems,  with  a  view  to  developing  a  systemic 
understanding of a building's energy performance.  

There  is  scope  to  go  beyond  the  general  methodological  framework  introduced  in the 
Directive  and  agree  on  common  methodologies  for  presenting  data.  Then  ICTs  could  be 
applied  for  EU-wide  collection,  aggregation  and  comparative  analyses 
to  support 
benchmarking and policy evaluation. 

4.1.2.  Rationalising transport-related energy use through logistics  

Transport systems represent about 26% of energy end-use in the EU. Many opportunities exist 
for improvements in energy efficiency and rationalisation, notably through logistics.  

Under the Freight and Logistics Action Plan27, a number of actions are introduced to expand 
the role of logistics in the rationalisation of transport and the reduction of its environmental 
impact. Specific measures under the Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS)28 Action Plan focus 
on the deployment of ITS to promote modal shift, notably on transport corridors for freight, 
and  through  the  provision  of  multi-modal  journey  planners  for  passengers  to  enable 
significant reductions in congestion. 

The e-Freight and Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) actions underline the relevance of ICT 
tools in achieving these aims. The November 2008 Recovery Plan foresees the launching of 
partnerships between the public and private sectors to develop a broad range of technologies 
and smart energy infrastructures for transport. 

The  ICT  sector  should  work  together  with  the  transport  logistics  sector  to  build  on  the 
opportunity  for  improved  and  expanded  information  as  identified  by  the  Action  Plan29. 
Meaningful  information  on  energy  consumption  and  carbon  emissions  of  freight  transport 
should  be  made  available  to  those  businesses  that  rely  on  freight  transport  for  their  own 
operations.  

As such information becomes available through the wider use of ITS, it is important that it be 
collected, presented and aggregated in a standardised way, and be accessible to all potential 
users:  from  individuals  and  businesses  using  freight  to  public  administrations  and  policy-
makers. 

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28 
29 

Directive 2002/91/EC; www.buildingsplatform.org. 
COM(2007) 607. 
COM(2008) 886. 
COM (2007) 607. 

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4.2. 

Encouraging  an  enduring  shift  in  the  behaviour  of  consumers,  businesses  and 
communities  

4.2.1.  Energy end-use 

Smart  metering  can  allow  for  two-way,  real-time  information  flows  between  network 
operators, energy suppliers and consumers, allowing all parties to better manage and control 
their energy consumption and associated costs. It also allows control loops to be introduced so 
devices can be remotely managed. When implemented in this way, benefits accrue to network 
operators and suppliers, and to consumers.  

Smart meters generate more accurate information on consumer demand, information which in 
turn can be used by network operators to better manage their network and so reduce losses. 
They can also enable the implementation of demand-response mechanisms to reduce demand 
at  peak  times,  thus  avoiding  unnecessary  investments  in  additional  capacity.  Suppliers  can 
furthermore use this information to develop pricing options which take into account different 
costs of energy consumed at different hours. 

Smart  meters  can  provide  comprehensive  information  to  consumers  on  their  energy 
consumption and cost30, allowing them to take real advantage of the Internal Energy Market. 
Results  from  field  trials  in  a  number  of  Member  States  indicate  that  the  roll-out  of  smart 
metering can lower energy consumption by up to 10%31, depending on the context and quality 
of the information fed back to the consumer.  

However  smart  metering  is  not  always  implemented  in  this  way;  one-way  information  flow 
towards  the  supplier  or  network  operator  tends  to  be  common  practice.  Given  the  high  up-
front investment costs and the expected 10 to 15 year lifespan of metering solutions, it is of 
the  utmost  importance  that  Member  States  agree  on  a  minimum  level  of  functionality  for 
smart  metering  so  that  the  same  minimum  options  can  be  offered  to  all  consumers, 
irrespective of where they live and who provides the service, and to ensure interoperability. 

Member States should be called upon to agree on EU-wide minimum functional specifications 
for smart metering that will enable network operators, suppliers and notably also consumers, 
to  effectively  manage  their  energy  needs  and  to  use  ICT  solutions,  once  they  become 
available, for automated energy management. In terms of functionality, this will require two-
way,  real-time  information  flows  and  the  possibility  of  new  control  loops.  These 
specifications  would  be  compatible  with  the  standardisation  mandate  for  utility  meters  that 
has recently been issued by the Commission32.  

Smart metering is just a first step on the path to smart electricity grids. Ultimately, smart grids 
should facilitate, not just a better management of energy consumption, but the integration of 
alternative  and  renewable  energy  sources  on  a  far  greater  scale  than  is  possible  today,  with 
positive impacts for energy security and for the environment. 

30  
31 
32 

This is one of the issues currently discussed in the Citizens' Energy Forum. 
Report on Methodology for Estimating Energy Savings, ESMA, March 2008. 
Standardisation  mandate  to  CEN,  CENELEC  and  ETSI  in  the  field  of  measuring  instruments  for  the 
development  of  an  open  architecture  for  utility  meters  involving  communication  protocols  enabling 
interoperability. 

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4.2.2.  A leading role for Member States 

Public authorities have at their disposal a range of instruments to induce low-carbon, energy-
efficient  behaviour  in  their  communities,  including:  the  power  to  develop  and  implement 
building  and  planning  policies,  to  intervene  through  procurement  to  create  demand,  to 
launch innovation programmes, support pilots and best practice. They also have the means 
to directly influence their own energy consumption.  

Member States, central, regional and local authorities should be called upon to take the lead in 
driving demand for innovative ICT-based solutions that will help them to incorporate energy 
efficiency into all aspects of service delivery and infrastructure management, urban planning 
and  policy-making.  The  use  of  advanced  software  optimisation  tools,  in  combination  with 
reliable data, will be essential to effective decision-making. 

Under Cohesion Policy 2007-2013, approximately EUR 86 billion is foreseen for investments 
in R&D and Innovation, which includes ICT use and technology development. Member States 
are encouraged to use these funds to support the development of ICT solutions that improve 
energy performance.  

4.3 

NEXT STEPS 

A  public  consultation  will  be  launched  in  order  to  ensure  that  the  Commission  and  all 
stakeholders  have  the  same  understanding  of  the  issues  to  tackle  and  of  the  proposed 
solutions. In particular, in the interest of transparency, and of achieving real and measurable 
progress,  the  Commission  wishes  to  be  assured  that  expectations,  claims  and  commitments 
are based on a common language.  

Following  the  public  consultation,  the  adoption  of  a  Recommendation  is  planned  for  the 
second half of 2009. 

5. 

THE ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Supporting the implementation of the recommended measures 

Following the publication of this Communication, the Commission will invite representatives 
of  the  sectors,  where  appropriate  through  relevant  sector  associations,  to  set  up  a  working 
structure to achieve the goals set. 

The Commission will also investigate the possibility of setting up a European web portal to 
serve as an open information and communication platform to engage both public and private 
stakeholders  in  sharing  best  practices,  experiences,  information  and  data  that  can  serve  to 
accelerate progress towards the goals set.  

In collaboration with the Committee of the Regions, the Commission is working on delivering 
a  practical  guide  for  regional  and  local  authorities  on  improving  energy  performance 
through innovative use of ICTs. 

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The Commission is also working to facilitate the contribution of the ICT21EE33 initiative to 
the Covenant of Mayors in order to encourage and support cities and municipalities in using 
ICTs to reduce emissions. 

Supporting R&D 

In  2007,  ICT  for  Energy  Efficiency  was  introduced  as  a  specific  theme  under  the  ICT 
priority  of  the  7th  Framework  Programme  for  Research  and  Technological  Development 
(FP7). It focuses on solutions for the electricity grid (smart grid), buildings and transport, and 
R&D  on  solid-state  lighting.  Pilot  projects  on  the  same  themes  are  supported  under  the 
Competitiveness  and  Innovation  Programme.  The  Commission  also  provides  funding  to 
energy-efficient ICTs34.  

Investment  has  to  be  further  focused  on  those  areas  of  research  that  can  deliver  maximum 
benefits  in  terms  of  energy  efficiency  and  reduced  carbon  emissions.  Larger-scale,  cross-
sectoral and multi-disciplinary efforts will be increasingly important here. The Recovery Plan, 
proposed by the Commission in November 2008, includes such efforts in the form of public-
private partnerships for R&D in the construction, automobile and manufacturing sectors.  

In addition, numerous projects supporting ICT for energy efficiency and improving the energy 
performance of ICT products and services are financed under Cohesion Policy. In the context 
of  the  Recovery  Plan,  the  Commission  has  taken  steps  to  accelerate  the  implementation  of 
Cohesion  Policy  programmes  and  to  further  increase  the  possibilities  of  funding  for  energy 
efficiency projects. 

Supporting Innovation 

Many of the ICT applications and solutions that will help Europe make the transition to a low-
carbon  economy  will  come  from  software  innovations.  There  are  roughly  half  a  million 
software businesses in the EU. Typically employing 3 to 7 persons, these businesses have one 
of the highest levels of productivity and profitability of all sectors of the economy35. 

The practical guide for regional and local authorities (mentioned above) will set out how 
administrations  can  exploit  ICTs  in  their  climate  change  plans36.  At  the  same  time  it  will 
describe how the Cohesion funds can support business partnerships to deliver innovative ICT 
applications,  and  will  set  out  practical  steps  to  encourage  synergies  between  Commission-
supported research and innovation funding. 

Further  impetus  should  come  from  the  so-called  Knowledge  and  Innovation  Communities 
(KICs) to be supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT)37. The 
first call for KICs addresses three priority themes: climate change mitigation and adaptation, 
sustainable energy, and future information and communication society.  

The  Recovery  Plan  proposed  by  the  Commission  in  November  2008  includes  a  major 
budgetary  effort  to  provide  high  speed  broadband  (BB)  all  over  Europe.  A  follow-up 

33 
34 
35 
36 
37  

ec.europa.eu/energy/sustainable/covenant_mayors_en.htm; CIP Project No: 225024 ICT21EE. 
The total funding allocated to these initiatives amounts to more than 400 M€. 
Eurostat 2007. 
CdR 254/2008 fin. 
http://ec.europa.eu/eit. 

EN 

10 

   EN 

 
                                                 
Communication  goes  a  step  further  and  specifies  where  investment  should  be  targeted  both 
for energy and BB38. This should contribute to a wider use of ICTs to respond to the climate 
and  energy  challenges,  and  open  up  opportunities  to  link  communities  and  innovative 
businesses across Europe.  

The proposed measures do not have any impact on the Community budget. 

6. 

EVALUATION AND MONITORING 

The  measures  that  are  intended  to  be  put  forward  in  the  Commission’s  Recommendation 
address the contributions of the ICT sector and ICTs to meeting the 2020 targets. There will 
be  a  review  in  2012;  the  results  will  be  published  and  will  form  part  of  the  evidence 
supporting follow-up intervention if appropriate.  

The  list  of  intended  measures  together  with  milestones,  deliverables  and  timelines  is 
summarised in the following table: 

Actor/ Measure 

Milestone/Reporting 

Deadline 

ICT Sector 

Letters of intent by ICT sector  

Targets and Roadmaps  

Progress reports  

Availability of requirements for ICT 
solutions 
Progress report 

Availability of energy consumption and 
carbon emissions data 
Progress Report 

ICT Sector with Buildings 
and Construction 

ICT Sector with Logistics 

Member States 

Within 6 
months of 
adoption 

end 2010 

Annually 

end 2012 

end 2012 

Common functional specifications for 
smart metering 

end 2012 

Urban planning strategies incorporating 
energy efficiency and carbon emissions  

end 2010 

Progress Reports 

annually 

38 

COM(2009) 36. 

EN 

11 

   EN 

 
 
 
                                                 
7. 

CONCLUSIONS 

Europe  has  set  itself  ambitious  targets  for  2020:  saving  20%  of  primary  energy 
consumption39, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20% and raising the share of renewable 
energy to 20%. Improved energy efficiency is key to achieving these targets. 

Though legislation is being enacted and implemented, data suggest that energy savings are not 
being  realised  fast  enough.  Recent  reports  suggest  that  when  fully  implemented,  current 
measures  should  achieve  energy  savings  of  about  13%  by  202040.  This  represents  a  major 
achievement but still falls far short of what is needed.  

There is an untapped opportunity to complement the existing measures with a set of specific 
actions to overcome barriers and exploit the full potential of ICTs to enable more efficient use 
of energy. The proposed policy framework aims to add impetus to the existing regulatory and 
non-regulatory measures in the area of energy efficiency and thereby contribute to the 2020 
targets by: 

–  improving the energy efficiency of ICTs;  

–  using  ICTs  to  bring  about  improved  energy  efficiency  in  the  other  energy-using 

systems and infrastructures that support our economy;  

–  using ICTs to provide a quantitative basis upon which energy-efficiency strategies 

can be devised, implemented and evaluated; 

–  inviting Member  States to drive innovation, to deploy and to showcase ICTs for 

enabling energy-efficiency gains; 

–  reinforcing  cooperation  between  all  private  and  public  players  to  reap  the 

maximum benefits from the use of ICTs to improve energy efficiency. 

The public consultation that will be launched will provide the opportunity for the Commission 
and all stakeholders to ensure a common understanding of the issues at stake and of the way 
to address them.  

Engagement at national, regional and local level is necessary if real progress is to be made. It 
is therefore for the Council and the European Parliament and for national, regional and local 
policy-makers  to  confirm  their  full  commitment  to  the  lines  of  action  announced  in  this 
Communication. 

39 
40 

Council of the European Union, Presidency Conclusions 8/9 March 2007 (7224/1/07). 
COM(2008) 772. 

EN 

12 

   EN