By adopting an ambitious mandatory energy saving target for 2030, Europe could reduce energy prices, create jobs, decrease energy consumption and cut energy imports.

This document provides an overview of the multiple benefits of an energy efficient Europe.

The objective is to draw attention to:

• the economic, environmental and social potential of a European energy efficiency market

and to provide a multi-stakeholder contribution of vision and ideas for:

• the ongoing development of DG ENTR Communication on a new industrial policy for Europe

The non-paper is presented in four sections aimed at answering the following questions:

1. What are the multiple and collective benefits that would result from a boost to the European energy efficiency market?
2. What are the main barriers to the development of a European energy efficiency market?
3. What are the tools which would solve these problems?
4. What are the financial resources available for ambitious energy efficiency projects in the EU?

This non paper has been drafted by the European Alliance to Save Energy (EU-ASE) with the support of NGOs and other European stakeholders.

In 2008, faced with the challenges of global climate change, security of energy supply and the increasing scarcity of natural resources, the European Union (EU) committed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20%1, pledged to ensure that 20% of EU final energy consumption would come from renewable energy sources, and called for a reduction in energy use across Europe by 20%. The targets for emissions and renewable energy sources were made legally binding; the EU is on track to achieve these targets. The commitment to save 20% of energy was not made legally binding and as a result, as it stands today, the EU is expected to achieve only 9% of its targets by 20202, not even 50% of its energy savings goal.

Mai come oggi il risparmio energetico è stato così importante. Una maggiore efficienza energetica è la soluzione meno costosa, più veloce, sicura, facile e pulita per garantire la sicurezza energetica e climatica. E’ un settore in cui l’industria europea è all’avanguardia ed in cui il giusto equilibrio di decisioni politiche e scelte economiche può incrementare e proteggere la competitività dell’Europa. Le nostre imprese possono beneficiare della necessità ormai globale di maggiore efficienza energetica, sempre più cruciale in un mondo con risorse limitate.

L’Europa é ad una svolta: rompere la dipendenza dai combustibili fossili attraverso un’offensiva contro lo spreco di energia utilizzando l’enorme potenziale rappresentato dall’efficienza energetica oppure non prendere le decisioni necessarie e lasciarci vulnerabili ai rialzi dei prezzi, alle turbolenze politiche ed alle tecnologie obsolete.

Senza impegni vincolanti per una maggiore efficienza energetica entro il 2020 e una visione chiara di lungo periodo in favore di un’economia basata sull’efficienza energetica, l’Europa è destinata ad essere molto vulnerabile.