site.btaEC Requests Bulgaria to Fully Transpose EU Energy Efficiency Directive

EC Requests Bulgaria to Fully Transpose EU Energy Efficiency Directive

Brussels, October 22 (BTA) - The European Commission (EC) has requested eleven Member States, including Bulgaria, to fully transpose the EU Energy Efficiency Directive (2012/27/EU), the EC said in a press release Thursday.

Under this Directive, Member States must achieve energy savings from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2020. They have to do this by using Energy Efficiency Obligations Schemes and/or other targeted policy measures to drive energy efficiency improvements in households, industry buildings and transport. The Directive had to be transposed into national law by June 5, 2014.

On Thursday, the EC sent reasoned opinions to Belgium, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Spain, Finland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland. However, the Commission identified transposition gaps in the national legislation in Bulgaria, Hungary, and Portugal, which are addressed in additional reasoned opinions sent on Thursday.

The eleven Member States have now two months to comply with their obligations, following that the EC may decide to refer these Member States to the Court of Justice of the EU and ask for financial penalties, the press release reads.