Glass for Europe’s members manufacture and transform flat glass to make advanced energy saving technologies available to the building sector
Glass for Europe’s members are pleased about the positive signal regarding the start of the debate on an EPBD reform proposing measures commensurate with the challenge of building renovation.
Glass for Europe’s members, which manufacture and transform flat glass to make advanced energy saving technologies available to the building sector, welcome the positive signal that the European Parliament’s ITRE Committee has sent today by amending the European Commission proposal for the Energy Performance of Building Directive.
“With today’s ITRE committee vote, the debate on an EPBD reform proposing measures commensurate with the challenge of building renovation is at last starting,” said Bertrand Cazes, Secretary General of Glass for Europe. “The European Commission proposal had to be substantially improved and refocused to enable the massive transformation Europe’s buildings urgently need and the ITRE committee did precisely that.”
Glass for Europe welcomes in particular the introduction of a definition of a decarbonised building stock based on the NZEB principle and the integration of renovation strategies into the Member States’ long-term strategies which must include clear milestones and actions. The broad majority which voted in favour of the report within the ITRE committee bodes well in view of trilogue negotiations and the plenary vote.
“The report safeguards the energy efficiency first principle by limiting the initial proposal’s trade-offs between energy saving technologies and renewables”, added Bertrand Cazes. Glass for Europe hopes that the restored EPBD ambition in the ITRE report will prevail in the future negotiations with Member States. “It is now the opportunity for the EU to equip itself with a powerful instrument to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions while fostering economic growth and contributing to the alleviation of energy poverty”, he concluded.
As final decisions remain to be taken, the Council will have a huge responsibility in delivering the right policy framework for Europe to boost renovation and deliver on the promises of the COP21 agreement.