COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION latest

 

Press material Tuesday 25 October 2022

● Council of the EU   25/10/2022 12:38 | Press release | ‘Fit for 55’: Council agrees on stricter rules for energy performance of buildings   The Council today reached an agreement (general approach) on a proposal to revise the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. The main objectives of the revision are that all new buildings should be zero-emission buildings by 2030, and that existing buildings should be transformed into zero-emission buildings by 2050. "The building sector is crucial for achieving the EU’s energy and climate objectives for 2030 and 2050. But more than that, the agreement reached today will help citizens make substantial energy savings. Better and more energy efficient buildings will improve citizens' quality of life while bringing down their energy bills and alleviating energy poverty." Jozef Síkela, Czech minister of industry and trade As regards new buildings, the Council agreed that: from 2028 new buildings owned by public bodies would be zero-emission buildings from 2030 all new buildings would be zero-emission buildings Exceptions will be possible for some buildings, including historical buildings, places of worship and buildings used for defense purposes. For existing buildings, member states agreed to introduce minimum energy performance standards that would correspond to the maximum amount of primary energy that buildings can use per m2 annually. The purpose is to trigger renovations and lead to a gradual phase-out of the worst-performing buildings and a continuous improvement of the national building stock. For existing non-residential buildings, member states agreed to set maximum energy performance thresholds, based on primary energy use. A first threshold would draw a line below the primary energy use of 15% of the worst-performing non-residential buildings in a member state. A second threshold would be set below 25%. Member states agreed to bring all non-residential buildings below the 15% threshold by 2030 and below the 25% threshold by 2034. The thresholds would be set based on the energy use of the national building stock on 1 January 2020 and may be differentiated between different building categories. For existing residential buildings, member states agreed to set minimum energy performance standards based on a national trajectory in line with the progressive renovation of their building stock into a zero-emission building stock by 2050, as outlined in their national building renovation plans. The national trajectory would correspond to the decrease of the average primary energy use in the whole residential building stock over the period from 2025 to 2050 with two control points to keep stock of member states’ achievements. These would ensure that the average primary energy use of the whole residential building stock is at least equivalent to: by 2033, the D energy performance class level by 2040, a nationally determined value derived from a gradual decrease of the average primary energy use from 2033 to 2050 in line with the transformation of the residential building stock into a zero-emission building stock. Member states agreed to add a new category “A0” to the energy performance certificates that would correspond to zero-emission buildings. Furthermore, member states will be able to add a new category “A+” corresponding to buildings, which in addition to being zero-emission buildings contribute on-site renewable energy to the energy grid. The energy performance certification for buildings, previously set by the directive, ranks buildings on a scale from A (best performing) to G (worst performing) based on their energy performance. Member states agreed to set requirements that ensure that all new buildings are designed to optimise their solar energy generation potential. Member States agreed to deploy suitable solar energy installations: by 31 December 2026, on all new public and non-residential buildings with useful floor area over 250 m2 by 31 December 2027, on all existing public and non-residential buildings, undergoing a major or a deep renovation, with useful floor area over 400 m2; and by 31 December 2029, on all new residential buildings. Member states agreed on requirements to make available sustainable mobility infrastructure, like charging points for electronic cars and bikes in or next to buildings, cabling to foresee future infrastructure and parking spaces for bicycles. They also introduced voluntary renovation passports for buildings. Member states agreed to issue national building renovation plans that would contain a roadmap with national targets for 2030, 2040 and 2050 as regards the annual energy renovation rate, the primary and final energy consumption of the national building stock and its operational greenhouse gas emission reductions. The first plans would be issued by 30 June 2026 and every five years after that. Background and next steps The agreement paves the way for the Council to start negotiations with the European Parliament. Once a political agreement is reached between the two institutions, the final text will be formally adopted by the Council and the Parliament. The Commission submitted a proposal for a revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive on 15 December 2021. The proposal forms part of the ‘Fit for 55’ package, that aims to put the EU on the path to climate neutrality by 2050. The proposal is particularly important because buildings account for 40% of energy consumed and 36% of energy-related direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions in the EU. It also constitutes one of the levers necessary for delivering on the Renovation Wave Strategy, published in October 2020, with specific regulatory, financing and enabling measures, with the objective of at least doubling the annual energy renovation rate of buildings by 2030 and fostering deep renovations. The existing EPBD, last revised in 2018, lays down minimum requirements to the energy performance of new and existing buildings that are being renovated. It sets a methodology for calculating the integrated energy performance of buildings and introduces an energy performance certification for buildings. General approach on the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive General approach on the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (corrigendum)

25/10/2022 12:00 | Article Informal meeting of trade ministers The informal meeting of trade ministers will take place on 30-31 October 2022 in Prague. The event will begin on the first day with an informal gala dinner in the Zofin Garden area. The main meeting day on 31 October 2022 will take place in the Prague Congress Centre. Ministers will discuss the geostrategic importance of trade and trade agreements and digital trade as part of the main negotiating blocs. They will also focus on trade relations with the USA. Article 25 October 202211:30 Informal meeting of trade ministers The informal meeting of trade ministers will take place on 30-31 October 2022 in Prague. The event will begin on the first day with an informal gala dinner in the Zofin Garden area. The main meeting day on 31 October 2022 will take place in the Prague Congress Centre. Ministers will discuss the geostrategic importance of trade and trade agreements and digital trade as part of the main negotiating blocs. They will also focus on trade relations with the USA. Strengthening the strategic resilience of the European economy is one of the priorities of the Czech presidency. During the main day of the event, trade ministers will address the geostrategic importance of trade, especially in relation to the Russian aggression in Ukraine. CZ PRES intends to highlight the role that trade policy plays in overcoming global challenges. In the current geopolitical context, the importance of trade policy is growing, which is key to the diversification of supply chains and the related reduction of dependencies on hostile regimes. However, the trade policy can also contribute to ensuring a better access for the European Union (EU) to raw materials. Another topic the ministers will focus on will be the digital trade. The aim of the CZ PRES will be to moderate the discussion on the economic and strategic importance of digital trade, i.e. an area that is developing rapidly and in which it is necessary for the EU to play an active role. Possible approaches to this area will also be debated in connection with the current world trends, which are mainly dominated by Indo-Pacific countries with their ambitious rules for digital trade. The topic of the working lunch will be trade relations between the EU and the US. The invitation to the discussion was accepted by US Trade Representative Katherine Tai, with whom the ministers will discuss current challenges in mutual trade relations as well as the upcoming third meeting of the EU-US Trade and Technology Council. Download Press kit Program schedule 09:00 I. Discussion session: Geostrategic importance of trade 10:50 II. Discussion session: EU Digital Trade Policy 12:35 Working lunch: EU-US trade relations 14:05 Press conference

Meetings Tuesday 25 October 2022

● Council of the EU   25/10/2022 16:44 | MEETING | Main results - Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (Energy), 25 October 2022   EU energy ministers adopted a general approach on the proposal for a directive on the energy performance of buildings. Ministers held a policy debate on the gas package on common internal market rules for renewable and natural gases and hydrogen. The Commission presented to ministers its proposal for a Council Regulation on 'Enhancing solidarity through better coordination of gas purchases, exchanges of gas across borders and reliable price benchmarks’, adopted on 18 October 2022. Ministers then exchanged views on the proposal.

Council of the EU
Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (Energy), 25 October 2022

Main results
Energy performance of buildings directive

EU energy ministers adopted a general approach on a proposal setting new requirements for the energy performance of buildings (EPBD). The main objectives of the revised directive are that all new buildings should be zero-emission buildings by 2030, and that existing buildings should be transformed into zero-emission buildings by 2050.



The building sector is crucial for achieving the EU’s energy and climate objectives for 2030 and 2050. But more than that, the agreement reached today will help citizens make substantial energy savings. Better and more energy efficient buildings will improve citizens' quality of life while bringing down their energy bills and alleviating energy povertyJozef Síkela, Czech minister of industry and trade


Infographic - Fit for 55: making buildings in the EU greenerSee full infographic

The revision of the EPBD forms part of the ‘Fit for 55’ package of measures that aims to bring EU legislation into line with the objective of achieving a climate-neutral EU by 2050 and its target to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.

The proposal is particularly important because buildings account for 40% of energy consumed and 36% of energy-related direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions in the EU.‘Fit for 55’: Council agrees on stricter rules for energy performance of buildings (press release, 25 October 2022)
Gas package

Ministers held a policy debate on the gas package, which includes a proposal for a directive and a proposal for a regulation on common internal market rules for renewable and natural gases and for hydrogen.

The aim of the discussion was to provide further political guidance to the work of the Council on the most pressing topics, such as development of hydrogen markets, cross-border tariffs and tariff discounts, and blending. Ministers discussed various unbundling models to support the development of an efficient internal market in renewable, low-carbon gases and hydrogen, in particular the future regulatory framework for hydrogen and its phase-in. Ministers generally supported unbundling and a flexible timeframe for the implementation of the hydrogen markets. Many supported replicating the ITO model from the gas markets to the hydrogen market. More work will be needed on the level of cross-border tariffs for hydrogen networks and the options to differentiate tariff discounts between renewable and low-carbon gases. Some ministers supported taking into account low-carbon hydrogen in reaching our goals.

Regarding mandatory blending level of hydrogen into natural gas system, ministers prefer to keep it for the bilateral agreements. Ministers also debated whether a mandatory maximum blending level should be decreased or made voluntary. They also exchanged views on whether to postpone the implementation of the maximum blending level.

The gas package is part of the ‘Fit for 55’ package of measures that aim to put the EU on the path to climate neutrality by 2050. Unlike the recently adopted emergency regulations on energy, which contain short-term measures, this proposal focusses on medium- to long-term solutions.Presidency background note
Energy emergency measures

The Commission presented to ministers its proposal for a Council Regulation on 'Enhancing solidarity through better coordination of gas purchases, exchanges of gas across borders and reliable price benchmarks’, adopted on 18 October 2022.

Ministers then exchanged views on the proposal, in light of the European Council conclusions adopted on 21 October 2022, and a non-paper issued by the Commission on policy options to mitigate the impact of natural gas prices on electricity bills in order to give political guidance to the work of the Council. Ministers generally welcomed the main principles of the proposal and emphasised the need for swift and coordinated efforts at European level in a spirit of solidarity. Ministers agreed that any measures taken must contribute to ensuring security of supply, lead to lower energy prices for households and businesses across the EU, while encouraging demand reductions and preserving the integrity of the single market and working towards to the EU’s climate neutrality goal by 2050.Proposal for a Council Regulation on 'Enhancing solidarity through better coordination of gas purchases, exchanges of gas across borders and reliable price benchmarks’
European Council conclusions, 21 October 2022
Other items on the agenda

Under any other business Lithuania shared information on the importance of ensuring nuclear safety at the Belarusian Ostrovets nuclear power plant in accordance with recognised EU safety levels.

The Commission provided information on the situation of the energy sector in Ukraine and Moldova in the aftermath of recent destructive attacks by Russia. Ministers expressed their concern in light of the situation, reiterated their support to Ukraine and confirmed, especially in the current energy crisis, their commitment to reinforce the ongoing energy cooperation with Ukraine and Moldova.Energy prices and security of supply (background information)
Impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on the markets: EU response (background information)
EU response to Ukraine invasion (background information)

The Council also adopted without discussion the items on the list of non-legislative A items.


Meeting information

Meeting n°3904
Luxembourg
25 October 2022
10:00
Preparatory documentsProvisional agenda
List of A items, non-legislative activities
Background brief
Outcome documentsList of participants