Plans to reduce the energy consumption and greenhouse-gas emissions from the buildings sector is debated on Monday and voted on by plenary on Tuesday. The revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, agreed with the Council in December, aims to substantially reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy consumption in the EU building sector by 2030, and have it achieve climate neutrality by 2050. The new rules also mean more of the worst-performing buildings will undergo renovation, and information-sharing on energy performance will be improved. New buildings must be zero-emission as of 2030, and new buildings occupied or owned by public authorities must be zero-emission as of 2028. Opening statements by Ciaran CUFFE (Greens/EFA, IE), Rapporteur, Kadri SIMSON, European Commissioner for Energy and Radan KANEV (EPP, BG), EP Committee on Environment. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

statement

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

energy efficiency (T)

fight against climate change (T)

CUFFE, Ciarán (Greens/EFA, IE)

KANEV, Radan (EPP, BG)

SIMSON, Kadri (EE, EC)

Fit for 55 (T)

Energy performance of buildings: Opening statements by Ciaran CUFFE (Greens/EFA, IE), Rapporteur, Kadri SIMSON, European Commissioner for Energy and Radan KANEV (EPP, BG), EP Committee on Environment

SOUNDBITE (English), Ciaran CUFFE (Greens/EFA, IE), Rapporteur, 'Vice-President Oetjen, commissioner Simpson. Colleagues, tomorrow you will have the opportunity to support lower energy bills, tackling energy poverty and creating thousands of high quality local jobs across Europe by voting for the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. This law sets a fair and ambitious pathway to a climate building stock by guaranteeing priority funding for renovations for the people who need it most, placing those living in Europe's coldest dampest homes at the top of the queue and including protections for renters against evictions. This is the just transition in action. No one is left behind. In fact, we're bringing everyone with us and delivering better buildings and a high quality of life for all. This is the European Green Deal.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ciaran CUFFE (Greens/EFA, IE), Rapporteur, The empty place places the final piece in the Fit for 55 package of climate laws. Buildings contribute 36% of Europe's CO2 emissions and nearly three in four buildings are energy inefficient. So tackling buildings is an essential step to reaching climate neutrality by 2050. This law introduces new measures to deliver a climate neutral building stock by 2050.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ciaran CUFFE (Greens/EFA, IE), Rapporteur, 'So what will it do? Firstly, it will modernise Europe's building stock by setting so-called minimum performance standards, requiring the buildings that waste the most energy to be gradually improved. This is the most cost effective approach with the greatest potential to reduce energy bills and emissions. And it will apply to buildings in the non-residential sector like office buildings and hospitals. And while there are no obligations on individual homeowners, Member States can apply to the residential sector, amongst other measures, to deliver reductions in average energy use.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ciaran CUFFE (Greens/EFA, IE), Rapporteur, Secondly, to support owners and vulnerable households. Financing measures, information services like one stop shops and social safeguards are included or directing money to renovations with a clear policy framework to help scale up and direct public and private money to renovations. Member States must ensure that their national building renovation plans are sufficiently financed. And they must draw from EU funds to do this. That financial support must prioritise vulnerable households. And Member States must also protect tenants by addressing disproportionate rent increases that may cause eviction through renovations. And buildings can also be made exempt from MEPs in case of serious hardship or where renovations are not cost effective.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ciaran CUFFE (Greens/EFA, IE), Rapporteur, Finally, thousands of local jobs in construction, renovation and renewable industries will be created. We're supporting SMEs and the economy as a whole. So, Member States will also introduce training to increase the availability of skilled workers. Considerable emission reductions are expected, helping us to protect current future generations of Europeans from the worst impacts of climate change.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ciaran CUFFE (Greens/EFA, IE), Rapporteur, Colleagues, it's clear we're at the start of a demanding journey towards climate neutrality by 2050. However, we cannot shy away from the task because it's difficult. Citizens in every Member State represented in this Parliament are struggling with high energy bills and poor quality homes. This law will improve people's lives for them and for future generations. Let's vote in favour of the EBP tomorrow. Thank you.

SOUNDBITE (English), Kadri SIMSON, European Commissioner, Honourable Members. Thank you for the opportunity to have this exchange ahead of the vote on the EBP of tomorrow. And first of all, I would like to thank all Members of the Parliament and especially the rapporteur, Cieran Cuffe, and shadow rapporteurs for our constructive cooperation on the file over the last two years.

SOUNDBITE (English), Kadri SIMSON, European Commissioner, 'Almost all files in the energy field of the Fit for 55 package have been formally agreed by co-legislators and together we have adopted strategies on many aspects of a clean energy transition. We have established a framework for entering Europe's energies of competitiveness and the EPB is the one missing piece to complete this picture. And tomorrow we will vote on it. And this is an important file for a few different reasons.

SOUNDBITE (English), Kadri SIMSON, European Commissioner, First, buildings are the single largest energy consumers in Europe. We will not face the decarbonisation and economic challenges and energy supply dependencies if we don't tackle buildings. And second, healthy and sustainable living conditions that are completely out of reach for far too many EU citizens. And this must change. We need to rethink the way we build and renovate homes and how we help create communities and vibrant spaces that are accessible and affordable for all Europeans.

SOUNDBITE (English), Kadri SIMSON, European Commissioner, Honourable Members. I believe that the provisional agreement found on the EPB present a good balance between ambition, flexibility and feasibility. If the revised EPB set the standard, there will be a positive domino effect. First, in terms of our growth and competitiveness, there will be greater demand for manufacturing of clean technologies such as heating and cooling solutions made in EU, service providers, technical and financial advisers and this will create jobs, investments and growth. A substantial number of local jobs will be created in the construction supply industry, a sector which is largely driven by SMEs, and secondly, tackles the root cause of energy poverty and makes energy more affordable in the long term.

SOUNDBITE (English), Kadri SIMSON, European Commissioner, Today, thanks to new construction methods, materials and products, new buildings consume less than half compared to buildings built before the thirty EPB. But these new buildings, which are not representative in the EU building stock, because 85% of residential buildings were built before 2010 and will stay until 2050, and 75% have a poor energy performance. And with a provisional agreement, we have the right measures to boost and performance of the worst performing buildings, but without obliging individual homeowners to renovate.

SOUNDBITE (English), Kadri SIMSON, European Commissioner, 'And the non-residential sector minimum and performance standards will trigger the renovation of the worst performers where it is most cost efficient. And this renovations will promote more energy efficient, liveable and cohesive housing on a large scale. And innovative digitalised and net zero technologies will be harnessed for the best results. New buildings will be zero emission buildings fit for a climate neutral future, and solar installations will become the norm for new buildings. Fundamentally, citizens will not be left alone in their efforts to improve their homes. They can turn for advice and building renovation on building renovation. And those who plan to carry out innovations in several steps can make use of the newly introduced building renovation passports.

SOUNDBITE (English), Kadri SIMSON, European Commissioner, And finally, provisions on public private financing complete the picture to make renovation affordable and feasible. The adjusted rules for energy performance certificates will build trust in the performance of a building and the impact of renovation works and simplify access to financing and the national building Renovation plans build transparent and reliable roadmaps, setting national targets for building renovation, and elaborating on policies, investment needs and available resources.

SOUNDBITE (English), Kadri SIMSON, European Commissioner, Honourable Members, Your vote tomorrow on this EPB file is a critical part of our joint efforts to ensure the clean transition makes a difference in the lives of citizens across the EU. We can fast forward a clear, united, ambitious and strong investment for our economies and empower citizens to benefit from energy efficient homes. The Commission counts on you. Thank you.

SOUNDBITE (German), Radan KANEV (EPP, BG), on behalf of the ENVI Committee, Thank you, President, commissioner. I am the rapporteur on behalf of the Environment Committee and I support the agreement struck on this directive. I fervently hope that agreement will be backed tomorrow. This is good for households, the environment and energy sovereignty. This is a huge challenge that cannot be tackled with public funding alone. These changes cannot come to the detriment of the poorest in society. And so I welcome the fact that the ENVI Committee secured changes on sensible financing instruments to support renovation, a guarantee that homeowners will not have to pay more than they say. Thank you.