Coalition press release: EPBD committee vote: A modest ITRE position for a crucial directive

Brussels, 9 February 2023
 
Members of the European Parliament’s Industry & Energy (ITRE) committee approved today a timid Report on the recast of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) following months of complicated discussions among political groups.

The ongoing energy crisis has shown the importance of initiating a massive renovation wave of Europe’s buildings to reduce consumers’ energy bills, alleviate energy poverty and decrease the EU’s dependence on fossil fuel imports, without compromising on climate goals.

After lengthy negotiations, members of the ITRE committee approved today an EPBD report that provides only a modest answer to the challenge of renovating the EU’s worst performing residential buildings. While the provision on Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) is slightly more ambitious than the Commission’s proposal, the report introduces a derogation that would leave almost one fourth of the most inefficient residential buildings unrenovated until January 2037, at odds with the imperative of reducing energy poverty. Equally concerning, publicly owned social housing can also be exempted by the renovation requirement.

Read the full press release

Media Contact:
Antonin Chapelot 
+32 492 42 66 61 | antonin.chapelot@energycoalition.eu |
@EUenergysavings