Changes from plenary report to adopted text

RemovedDRAFT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

AddedP9_TA(2023)0068

Changedon the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the energyEnergy performance of buildings (recast)

Removed(COM(2021)0802 – C90469/2021 – 2021/0426(COD))

AddedCommittee on Industry, Research and Energy

AddedPE732.742

AddedAmendments adopted by the European Parliament on 14 March 2023 on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the energy performance of buildings (recast) (COM(2021)0802 – C9-0469/2021 – 2021/0426(COD))

(Ordinary legislative procedure – recast)

Change 1

RemovedThe European Parliament,

Added[Amendment 1, unless otherwise indicated]

Removed– having regard to the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2021)0802),

Removed– having regard to Article 294(2) and Article 194(2) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, pursuant to which the Commission submitted the proposal to Parliament (C90469/2021),

Removed– having regard to Article 294(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Removed– having regard to the reasoned opinion submitted, within the framework of Protocol No 2 on the application of the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality, by the Finnish Parliament asserting that the draft legislative act does not comply with the principle of subsidiarity,

Removed– having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee of 23 March 2022,

Removed– having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions of 30.6.2022,

Removed– having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 28 November 2001 on a more structured use of the recasting technique for legal acts,

Removed– having regard to the letter of 8 November 2022 sent by the Committee on Legal Affairs to the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy in accordance with Rule 110(3) of its Rules of Procedure,

Removed– having regard to Rules 110 and 59 of its Rules of Procedure,

Removed– having regard to the opinions of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety and the Committee on Legal Affairs,

Removed– having regard to the report of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (A9-0033/2023),

RemovedA. whereas, according to the Consultative Working Party of the legal services of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission, the Commission proposal does not include any substantive amendments other than those identified as such in the proposal and whereas, as regards the codification of the unchanged provisions of the earlier acts together with those amendments, the proposal contains a straightforward codification of the existing texts, without any change in their substance;

Removed1. Adopts its position at first reading hereinafter set out, taking into account the recommendations of the Consultative Working Party of the legal services of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission;

Removed2. Calls on the Commission to refer the matter to Parliament again if it replaces, substantially amends or intends to substantially amend its proposal;

Removed3. Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the national parliaments.

▸17 unchanged paragraphs

AMENDMENTS BY THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT*

to the Commission proposal

---------------------------------------------------------

2021/0426(COD)

Proposal for a

DIRECTIVE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

on the energy performance of buildings (recast)

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 194(2) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national parliaments,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee,

Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions,

Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure,

Whereas:

(1) Directive 2010/31/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council has been substantially amended several times. Since further amendments are to be made, that Directive should be recast in the interests of clarity.

Change 2

Changed(2) Under the Paris Agreement, adopted in December 2015 under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), its Parties have agreed to hold the increase in the global average temperature well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1,5 °C1,5°C above pre-industrial levels. The parties to the Glasgow Climate Pact in November 2021 reaffirmed that keeping the increase in the global average temperature to 1,5°C above pre-industrial levels would significantly reduce the risks and impacts of climate change, and undertook to strengthen their 2030 targets by the end of 2022. Reaching the objectives of the Paris Agreement is at the core of the Commission communication on “The European Green Deal” of 11 December 2019. The Union committed itself to reduce the Union’s economy-wide net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 % by 2030 below 1990 levels in the updated nationally determined contribution submitted to the UNFCCC Secretariat on 17 December 2020.

(3) As announced in the Green Deal, the Commission presented its Renovation Wave strategy on 14 October 2020. The strategy contains an action plan with concrete regulatory, financing and enabling measures, with the objective to at least double the annual energy renovation rate of buildings by 2030 and to foster deep renovations in more than 35 million buildings and the creation of up to 160 000 jobs in the construction sector. The revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive is necessary as one of the vehicles to deliver on the Renovation Wave. It will also contribute to delivering on the New European Bauhaus initiative and the European mission on climate-neutral and smart cities and should follow the pathway established by the New European Bauhaus initiative as a previous phase of the Renovation Wave. The New European Bauhaus initiative is intended to foster a more inclusive society that promotes the wellbeing of all in keeping with the historical Bauhaus, which contributed to social inclusion and the well-being of citizens, in particular worker communities. By facilitating training, networks and issuing guidelines to architects, artists, students, engineers and designers under the principles of sustainability, aesthetics, and inclusion, the New European Bauhaus initiative can empower local authorities to develop innovative and cultural solutions in creating a more sustainable built environment. Member States should support projects of the New European Bauhaus initiatives that enrich the cultural and built landscape of regions across Europe and help neighbourhoods and communities achieve the Union’s climate goals.

Change 3

Changed(4) Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 of the European Parliament and of the Council, the ‘European Climate Law’, enshrines in Union law the target of economy-wide climate neutrality by 2050 at the latestlatest, the aim of achieving and establishes a binding Union domestic reduction commitment of net greenhouse gas emissions (emissions after deduction of removals) of at least 55 % below 1990 levels by 2030.

▸4 unchanged paragraphs

(5) The “Fit for 55” legislative package announced in the Commission’s 2021 Work Programme aims to implement those objectives. It covers a range of policy areas including energy efficiency, renewable energy, land use, land change and forestry, energy taxation, effort sharing, emissions trading and alternative fuels infrastructure. The revision of Directive 2010/31/EU is an integral part of that package. The communication of the Commission of 18 May 2022 entitled “REPowerEU plan” reviewed key provisions of the “Fit for 55” legislative package in light of the updated geopolitical context, requiring a revised political framework, with new legislative proposals and targeted recommendations to update the objectives, in particular by increasing ambition with regard to energy efficiency and savings and enhanced energy sovereignty, while moving away from fossil fuels. That communication also encouraged Member States to consider taxation measures to provide incentives for energy savings and reduce fossil fuels consumption, including tax deductions linked to energy savings.

(5a) The revision of the EPBD should be consistent with the other proposals that are part of the “Fit for 55” legislative package, such as the proposed revisions of Directives 2003/87/EC, 2012/27/EU, (EU) 2014/94/EU and 2018/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council.

(5b) The renovation of monuments should always be carried out in compliance with the national rules on conservation, international conservation standards, including the 1964 Venice Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites, and the original architecture of the monuments concerned.

(5c) For buildings that have historical or architectural merit, but are not officially protected, Member States should set criteria for the application of the highest energy performance class that is technically, functionally and economically feasible while maintaining the character of the building.

Change 4

Changed(6) Buildings account for 40 % of final energy consumption in the Union and 36%36 % of its energy-related greenhouse gas emissions, while 75%75 % of Union buildings are still energy-inefficient. Natural gas plays the largest role in heating of buildings, accounting for around 42%42 % of energy used for space heating in the residential sector. Oil is the second most important fossil fuel for heating, accounting for 14%14 % and coal accounts for around 3%.3 %. Therefore, reduction of energy consumption, in line with the energy efficiency first principle ▌, implemented in accordance with Commission Recommendation (EU) 2021/1749 and the use of energy from renewable sources in the buildings sector constitute important measures needed to reduce ▌greenhouse gas emissions and energy poverty in the Union. Reduced energy consumption and an increased use of energy from renewable sources, especially solar energy, also have a key role to play in reducing the Union’s energy dependency on fossil fuel overall and on imports especially, promoting security of energy supply in line with to the objectives set out in the REPowerEU plan, integrating the energy system, contributing to system efficiency, fostering technological developments and in creating opportunities for employment and regional development, in particular in islands, rural areas and off grid communities.

Change 5

Changed(6a) The improvement of energy efficiency and energy performance of buildings through deep renovation has enormous social, economic and environmental benefits. Moreover, energy efficiency is the safest and most cost-efficient method by which to decrease the Union’s dependence on energy imports and to mitigate the negative impact of high energy prices.Investmentsprices. Investments in energy efficiency should be high priority at both private and public level.

▸7 unchanged paragraphs

(6b) In order to ensure that all citizens benefit from the improved energy performance of buildings and the associated living quality, environmental, economic and health benefits, a proper regulatory, financial and advisory framework should be put in place to support building renovations. There should be a special focus on vulnerable and middle-income households, as these often live in worst-performing buildings, both in urban and rural areas.

(6c) The introduction of minimum energy performance standards, accompanied by social safeguards and financial guarantees, are intended to improve the quality of life of the most vulnerable households and the poorest citizens.

(6d) In rural areas across the Union, there is potential for renewable energy generation that helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and that is cost-effective in powering and heating off-grid areas, while reducing import dependency and infrastructure lock-in, and that contributes to climate mitigation and improves air quality.

(7) Buildings and building elements and materials are responsible for greenhouse gas emissions before, during and after their operational lifetime. ▌The whole life-cycle emissions of buildings should therefore progressively be taken into account in line with a Union methodology to be established by the Commission, starting with new, then renovated buildings, for which Member States should establish whole life-cycle greenhouse gas emission reduction targets in accordance with that Union methodology. Buildings are a significant material bank, being repositories for resources over many decades, and the design options largely influence the whole life-cycle emissions both for new buildings and renovations. The whole life-cycle performance of buildings should be taken into account not only in new construction, but also in renovations through the inclusion of policies and reduction targets of whole life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions in Member States’ building renovation plans.

(7a) A link should be made with the principles of the circular economy and the leading role of the New European Bauhaus initiative, which aims to promote greater circularity in the built environment, by promoting renovation and adaptive re-use over demolition and new build, as appropriate.

(7b) The introduction of requirements on whole life-cycle emissions will encourage industrial innovation and value creation, such as through an increase in the use of circular and natural materials.

(7c) It is crucial to promote and include the use of more sustainable construction materials, in particular bio- and geo-sourced materials, as well as simple passive low-tech and locally tested building techniques to support and promote the use of and research into material technologies that contribute to the best possible insulation and structural support of buildings. In view of the climate crisis and the increased probability of summer heat waves, special consideration should be given to heat protection for buildings.

Change 6

Changed(8) Minimizing the whole life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions of buildings requires resource efficiency ,efficiency, sufficiency, circularity and turning parts of the building stock into a ▌carbon▌ carbon sink.

(8a) The fact that buildings are responsible for greenhouse gas emissions even before their operational lifetime is the consequence of the carbon already embedded within all building materials. An increase in the use of sustainably and locally sourced nature-based building materials, in line with the principles of the New European Bauhaus initiative and the internal market, has the potential to substitute for more carbon intensive materials and to store carbon in the built environment via the use of wood-based materials.