Efficiency plan to go ahead this month

Publication of the EU energy efficiency action plan will go ahead this month but not before 18 October, according to European Commission officials.

The proposal was due in mid-September but had to be withdrawn, allegedly following concerns from Commission President José Manuel Barroso that it was confusing

and bureaucratic.

The delay sparked rumours that Barroso did not want a separate energy efficiency plan and would instead incorporate the idea in a broad EU energy review due early next year.

A Commission official on Wednesday (4 October) told European Voice that the structure of the proposal had now changed to make the political message of the need for energy efficiency clearer. But he denied that the content had been altered following high-level pressure.

An overall target of shaving 20% from EU energy consumption by 2020 through efficiency improvements will remain in the final proposal. Commission sources confirmed, however, that the action plan will contain no sector-specific targets.

The Finnish EU presidency has made energy efficiency a priority for its six months in office. A presidency official expressed relief at Wednesday’s news: "It is important that the Commission seems to have decided to go forward with the action plan. Energy efficiency is a win-win situation; there is no need for us to wait."

He said delaying action until the energy review would risk "losing the visibility of this important issue in the bigger picture".

Helsinki hopes to broker a position on the action plan between governments at a November Energy Council. The Finnish official added, however, that even an 18 October publication date would put "huge time pressure" on the 25 member states.

Publication of the EU energy efficiency action plan will go ahead this month but not before 18 October, according to European Commission officials.