Legal & Regulatory News

European Council and Parliament provisionally agree a proposal to revise the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive.

On 7 December 2023, the European Council and European Parliament provisionally agreed an ambitious proposal to revise the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (the proposal). This Directive forms part of the European Union’s ‘Fit for 55’ package, which aims to ensure that the policies set by the European Union are aligned with its climate goals, including the goal of reducing EU emissions by at least 55% by 2030.

The Council and Parliament intend to encourage the development of energy efficient buildings and the renovation of existing buildings through minimum energy performance requirements and emissions targets for 2030 and 2050. The proposal establishes a methodology and framework to be adopted by Member States for calculating the energy performance of buildings.

The key objectives set out in the proposal include:

• all new buildings should be zero-emission buildings by 2030; and
• all existing buildings should be transformed into zero-emission buildings by 2050, including a transition to emission-free heating systems.

The proposal encourages Member States to provide financial and administrative support for deep renovation, defined as “a renovation that transforms buildings into zero-emission buildings”. Member States should also prompt financial institutions to contribute to energy renovations by offering products such as energy efficient mortgages or promoting investments in energy efficient building stock.

The next step will be the endorsement and formal adoption by the Council and the Parliament of the proposal.

Click here to view the press release.

Click here to view the proposal.