27.6.2022
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
C 243/41
(20)
The composition of tax-benefit systems and social protection systems should be examined against the specific needs stemming from the green transition, reflecting also the ‘polluter pays principle’ and the need that accompanying policies do not introduce subsidies to fossil fuels consumption, do not lock in consumers to a specific technology, do not decrease incentives for building renovations and thermal energy system substitutions and do not decrease incentives within general energy efficiency measures.
A combination of various policies can support the most vulnerable households and workers most affected by the green transition.
Depending on the national and individual situation, this could, for instance, involve a shift of taxation away from labour and towards climate and environmental objectives as envisaged in the proposal for revision of the Energy Taxation Directive (37), a review of unemployment schemes and/or temporary and targeted direct income support, where necessary.
Social protection systems, including social inclusion policies, can be reviewed and, where applicable, adapted in light of the green transition, in particular to provide for income security, notably during job-to-job transitions, and to provide adequate social, health and care services through adequate social infrastructure, notably in most affected territories, for instance rural and remote areas, such as the outermost regions, in order to prevent social exclusion, and address health risks.
To prevent and combat social exclusion of children, investments in social infrastructure for children aim to ensure access to key services for children in need, as set out in Council Recommendation (EU) 2021/1004 (38).
(21)
To build physical and financial resilience to the irreversible impacts of climate change in an inclusive manner, riskawareness, risk reduction and risk-transfer solutions need to be promoted, in particular by increasing the availability of insurance solutions and by investing in disaster risk-management and adaptation to reduce the physical impacts of climate change, thereby reducing losses, as well as the climate protection gap, taking into account micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as rural and remote areas, such as the outermost regions and islands.
Disaster risk-management including civil protection systems at national and Union level should be reinforced to better prevent, prepare for and respond to climate-related shocks.
(22)
Everyone has the right to access essential services of good quality, including energy, transport, water, sanitation, financial services and digital communications, and support for equal access to such services should be made available to those in need (39).
Furthermore, access to social housing or housing assistance of good quality should be provided for those in need (40).
In addition, low and medium income households, vulnerable customers, including final users, people facing or risking energy poverty and people living in social housing, can benefit from the application of the ‘energy efficiency first principle’.
In addition to protecting and empowering energy consumers, specific measures are needed to prevent and tackle the root causes of energy poverty, in particular by promoting investments targeted at energy efficiency improvements, notably in the social housing sector.
The proposed updates of the Energy Efficiency Directive (41) and the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (42) are also intended to tackle the main non-economic barriers to renovation such as split incentives, including owner-tenant settings, and co-ownership structures.
In this context, specific attention should be paid to women and particular groups which are more at risk of being affected by energy poverty, such as persons with disabilities, single parents, elderly people, children, and persons with a minority racial or ethnic background.
Pre-existing and emerging mobility challenges can be tackled through support measures and the development of the necessary infrastructure, such as public transport.
The affordability, accessibility and safety of sustainable mobility and different modes of transport, including private and public transport, are key to ensuring everyone benefits from and is part of the green transition.
Urban mobility plays a significant role in this context, as also reflected by the communication from the Commission of 14 December 2021 entitled ‘The New EU Urban Mobility Framework’.
(37) Proposal for a Council Directive restructuring the Union framework for the taxation of energy products and electricity (recast), COM(2021) 563 final, envisages such a shift of the taxation of energy products and electricity towards climate and environmental objectives.
(38) Council Recommendation (EU) 2021/1004 of 14 June 2021 establishing a European Child Guarantee (OJ L 223, 22.6.2021, p. 14).
(39) ‘European Pillar of Social Rights’, solemnly proclaimed by the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission, 17 November 2017, principle 20.
(40) ‘European Pillar of Social Rights’, solemnly proclaimed by the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission, 17 November 2017, principle 19 (a).
(41) Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on energy efficiency (recast), COM(2021) 558 final.
(42) Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the energy performance of buildings (recast), COM(2021) 802 final.