Three years ago Member States agreed that this Directive is a cornerstone in the strategy to reduce energy consumption in the European Union. The recent Green Paper on Energy Efficiency has reiterated its importance and the additional energy savings possible in the buildings sector. With the date approaching, the European Commission is somewhat concerned over the lack of progress in the national implementation in a number of Member States.

Given the importance of the EPBD, the Commission will follow-up this Directive closely. It is already devoting a lot of resources to help Member States implement correctly. The first thing all Member States must do now is formally notify to the Commission their national implementing measures by the beginning of January, even if they only partially implement the Directive.

There are many expectations surrounding the EPBD. Let us work together to make it deliver soon on its big energy savings potential by correct implementation throughout the European Union!

Katrien Prins
EC DG TREN - EPBD team

Delays in Implementation of the EPBD require a Change of Strategy for the CA
When we first proposed this Concerted Action to the Commission and the MS, more than 2 years ago, it was already clear that most MS were facing a serious challenge and many difficulties to transpose and implement the EPBD. The status of implementation on this day, the well-known 4 January 2006 deadline, is however far beyond our most pessimistic expectations. A scenario where the MS with their plans fully ready could be counted on just a few fingers of a single hand never crossed our minds.

Of course, this just confirms the need for the CA. If so many doubts still persist even after so many ideas have been exchanged, where would we be without our regular discussions? But this also shows that more discussions are still needed on topics that we thought would be concluded by now. This of course calls for a change in strategy for the CA meetings during the second half of its duration. With almost no field work on certification and inspections during 2006, there will be no chance to discuss topics about lessons learned planned for 2007.

In Nicosia, the most urgent topics, those that need discussion on topics still under consideration by many MS, have already been identified. They will be scheduled for discussion in Budapest in May. The same type of exercise needs to continue in each meeting, to try to keep track of progress and urgent needs in all the MS.

I wish a Happy and Fruitful New Year 2006 for all.

Eduardo Maldonado
for the Steering group

Next webzine issue: #10 - January 2006.
All contributions welcome.
Deadline to submit your proposal: 23 January 2006.
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