Brussels, 17 November 2020

On the 17th of November, the European Commission launched two public consultations: one amending the Renewable Energy Directive (RED); the second amending the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED). Both consultations will close on the 9th of February 2021.

By means of the input collected during the first consultation, the Commission wants to prepare a review of the RED to ensure that renewable energy contributes to the GHG emissions reduction target set by the 2030 Climate Target Plan, as well as to implement the measures proposed in the Energy System Integration and Hydrogen strategies, the Renovation wave initiative, and other initiatives adopted under the European Green Deal.

In regards to the revision of the EED, the Commission will undertake a two-step approach. As a first step, the evaluation will assess the existing framework of the Directive since its entry into force in 2012, except for those elements already revised in 2018. The findings of the evaluation will offer the basis for what needs to be streamlined, strengthened, added or changed in the Directive in order to address the remaining ambition gap in comparison to the 2030 EU energy efficiency targets, to deliver the increased EU greenhouse emissions reduction target of at least 55% by 2030, and to ensure synergies with the other Green Deal initiatives.