Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 May 2013
411. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will outline the progress made in transposing the energy efficiency directive adopted by the European Council and Parliament in October 2012; the steps that will be required to complete the transposition and the timeframe, for the transposition's completion. [22927/13]
View answerThe Energy Efficiency Directive, which replaces the Cogeneration Directive (2004/8/EC) and the Energy Services Directive (2006/32/EC), was formally adopted by the Council of Ministers and European Parliament in October 2012. This Directive translates elements of the European Efficiency Plan into binding measures on Member States, in response to the Commission’s assessment that the EU is unlikely to achieve its energy efficiency target of 20% primary energy savings by 2020 based on the current policy mix. While there are no binding targets in the Directive there are a number of binding measures. A review of each Member State’s progress towards the European 20% objective will take place in 2014.
Member States have 18 months to transpose the Directive, with a transposition deadline of 5 June 2014. However, there are a number of policy decisions and reporting requirements to be notified to the Commission in advance of the transposition deadline. The first of these, a report on the indicative national target for energy efficiency, was due by 30 April 2013. This report, confirming Ireland’s 20% national target, and sectoral target of 33% for the public sector, was sent to the Commission in advance of the deadline.
A series of subgroups have been set up with relevant stakeholders in order to progress the transposition of the Directive, with a formal consultation on the transposition and implementation of the Directive expected over the summer months.
