The European Union (EU) Multi Annual Financial Framework (MFF) post 2020 will define the financial means to address societal, economic and environmental challenges the EU is currently facing.

The MFF is also a unique opportunity for the EU to demonstrate coherence with its long-term energy and climate policy objectives and deliver tangible benefits to European citizens.

With that in mind and in line with the EU’s Paris Agreement commitments, this paper presents the views of a cross-sectoral alliance of businesses united by the shared vision that energy efficiency, by driving growth, jobs and delivering European added value, is the key to a cost-efficient and competitive decarbonization of our economy.

The present text highlights AMs and CAs on the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive that EU-ASE recommends supporting, opposing or improving in view of ITRE Committee vote expected on Wednesday 11 October, 2017.

This analysis was carried out against the priorities and policy recommendations agreed by the European Alliance to Save Energy (EU-ASE) in its Position Papers published in March 2017.

Energy efficiency must be considered a political priority through an EU binding target of at least 40% for 2030. This will give a clear signal to the investor community at large, and it also aligns well with the political position expressed on more than one occasion by the European Parliament and with the requirements set out by the objectives of the Paris Agreement. Such a target would generate annual savings worth €1tr-€2tr during 2020- 2030 and create between 1 and 1.5 million jobs, mostly dedicated to renovating our existing infrastructure and continuing to develop Europe’s world-leading, innovative technologies.

As part of the February 2015 Energy Union Strategy, the European Commission committed to present its long-term vision on Heating and Cooling (H&C), rightly acknowledging the potential of this sector in contributing to the transition towards a low-carbon and energy efficient economy. One year afterwards, the Commission published its Communication which is an important step in providing a holistic approach to transforming H&C in the EU.

Considering the local character and potential of H&C, EU-ASE urges Member States to develop national/sub-national strategies supported by an integrated energy system perspective at EU and national levels. EU-ASE calls on regional and local authorities to facilitate the definition of a modern urban planning to integrate cost-effective energy efficiency solutions and on site generation to modernize the building stock and decarbonize energy supply.

In this sense, EU-ASE welcomes the European Parliament’s plea for the adoption of specific sustainable H&C strategies to be developed at national level, as stated in Gierek MEP report.