Energy Resource Efficiency in the EU: Major Legislative Initiatives

This chapter outlines the key priority areas in the context of energy efficiency in the EU and discusses the relevant legal instruments. It analyses the performance of the EU Member States (MS) against the set benchmarks within the context of the 2011 Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe, a key EU policy document. The chapter identifies the areas that lack progress to date and focuses on integrated, rather than isolated, policy decisions and implementation. Firstly, substantial investment in efficiency and capacity building (for renewable energy generation) is necessary. Secondly, energy interconnections and transfer hubs and networks within and outside the EU are necessary for the MS to benefit from each other’s conditions, such as varying supply and demand, and advantages.