Directive 2006/32/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (repealed)Show full title

CHAPTER II ENERGY SAVINGS TARGETS

Article 4 General target

1. Member States shall adopt and aim to achieve an overall national indicative energy savings target of 9 % for the ninth year of application of this Directive, to be reached by way of energy services and other energy efficiency improvement measures. Member States shall take cost-effective, practicable and reasonable measures designed to contribute towards achieving this target.

This national indicative energy savings target shall be set and calculated in accordance with the provisions and methodology set out in Annex I. For purposes of comparison of energy savings and for conversion to a comparable unit, the conversion factors set out in Annex II shall apply unless the use of other conversion factors can be justified. Examples of eligible energy efficiency improvement measures are given in Annex III. A general framework for the measurement and verification of energy savings is given in Annex IV. The national energy savings in relation to the national indicative energy savings target shall be measured as from 1 January 2008.

2. For the purpose of the first Energy Efficiency Action Plan (EEAP) to be submitted in accordance with Article 14, each Member State shall establish an intermediate national indicative energy savings target for the third year of application of this Directive, and provide an overview of its strategy for the achievement of the intermediate and overall targets. This intermediate target shall be realistic and consistent with the overall national indicative energy savings target referred to in paragraph 1.

The Commission shall give an opinion on whether the intermediate national indicative target appears realistic and consistent with the overall target.

3. Each Member State shall draw up programmes and measures to improve energy efficiency.

4. Member States shall assign to one or more new or existing authorities or agencies the overall control and responsibility for overseeing the framework set up in relation to the target mentioned in paragraph 1. These bodies shall thereafter verify the energy savings as a result of energy services and other energy efficiency improvement measures, including existing national energy efficiency improvement measures, and report the results.

5. After having reviewed and reported on the first three years of application of this Directive, the Commission shall examine whether it is appropriate to come forward with a proposal for a directive to further develop the market approach in energy efficiency improvement by means of white certificates.

Article 5 Energy end-use efficiency in the public sector

1. Member States shall ensure that the public sector fulfils an exemplary role in the context of this Directive. To this end, they shall communicate effectively the exemplary role and actions of the public sector to citizens and/or companies, as appropriate.

Member States shall ensure that energy efficiency improvement measures are taken by the public sector, focussing on cost-effective measures which generate the largest energy savings in the shortest span of time. Such measures shall be taken at the appropriate national, regional and/or local level, and may consist of legislative initiatives and/or voluntary agreements, as referred to in Article 6(2)(b), or other schemes with an equivalent effect. Without prejudice to national and Community public procurement legislation:

• at least two measures shall be used from the list set out in Annex VI;

• Member States shall facilitate this process by publishing guidelines on energy efficiency and energy savings as a possible assessment criterion in competitive tendering for public contracts.

Member States shall facilitate and enable the exchange of best practices between public sector bodies, for example on energy-efficient public procurement practices, both at the national and international level; to this end, the organisation referred to in paragraph 2 shall cooperate with the Commission with regard to the exchange of best practice as referred to in Article 7(3).

2. Member States shall assign to a new or existing organisation or organisations the administrative, management and implementing responsibility for the integration of energy efficiency improvement requirements as set out in paragraph 1. These may be the same authorities or agencies as those referred to in Article 4(4).