Memo: Saving 20% by 2020: European Commission unveils its Action Plan on Energy Efficiency

As a major step toward meeting the unprecedented energy challenges facing the EU, the European Commission presented its Energy Efficiency Action Plan in October 2006. The Plan contains a package of priority measures covering a wide range of cost-effective energy efficiency initiatives. These include actions to make energy appliances, buildings, transport and energy generation more efficient. Stringent new energy efficiency standards, promotion of energy services, specific financing mechanisms to support more energy efficient products are proposed. The Commission will furthermore set a Covenant of Mayors of the 20-30 most pioneering cities in Europe and will propose an international agreement on energy efficiency. Altogether, over 75 measures are set forth.