150 European citizens adopted 13 recommendations for the European Commission on energy efficiency during the final session of the European Citizens' Panel on Energy Efficiency, which took place from 12 to 14 April in Brussels.
Using less energy, and using it wisely, is key for clean, secure and affordable energy and an important component of the European Green Deal and the REPowerEU Plan. Energy efficiency helps reduce overall energy consumption and is therefore central to achieving the EU's climate ambition, while enhancing present and future energy security and affordability. The Energy Efficiency Directive, recently strengthened as part of the Fit for 55 legislative package, established the 'energy efficiency first' as a fundamental principle of EU energy policy, giving it legal standing for the first time. It also significantly raised the EU's ambition with new EU-level target to improve energy efficiency by 11.7% by 2030, with a stronger emphasis on people affected by energy poverty.
Since February 2024, citizens have gathered to discuss the challenges and benefits of energy efficiency, both in person and online.
The input gathered from both the Panel and the Citizens' Engagement Platform will now feed into a Commission Recommendation on the "Energy Efficiency First" principle to be considered by the College of Commissioners and ultimately addressed to the Member States later this year.
The final recommendations encourage the Commission to focus in particular on:
- Increasing the attractiveness of public transport for passengers
- Delivering the most energy-efficient transport across Europe: Get goods off the road, get people out of planes, and introduce a 'railway first principle'
- Expanding the implementation of energy efficiency in buildings
- Improving the state of skilled labour in the EU in the energy efficiency sector
- Securing the future through education on green issues
- Managing and monitoring the implementation of EU directives
- Helping EU citizens to develop energy communities focused on energy efficiency by providing information and financial support
- Financing a fair right to energy related home renovation
- Achieving energy efficiency targets by strengthening everyone's ability to act
- Increasing energy independence and efficiency, becoming a global example
- Developing energy-efficient communities for responsible consumption and increased local energy production
- Empowering consumers to become energy efficient
- Optimising and developing the grid system, from producer to the end-user, in favour of renewable energy sources
Background
In support of President Ursula von der Leyen's priority to build a European Democracy Fit for the Future, the European Citizens' Panels and online citizens' engagement tools have been embedded as a feature of democratic life in the EU, as one of the key outcomes of the Conference on the Future of Europe. These panels give citizens a voice in EU policymaking.
Participants in European Citizens' Panels are recruited using tools to generate valid mobile telephone numbers at random. To ensure that Panels reflect Europe's socio-demographic composition, the process ensures that recruitment is representative of EU diversity. A quota system ensures a gender-balanced Panel and specifies that young people aged 16-25 must represent a third of the panel. Other socio-demographic characteristics relate to education level, geographic location, and occupation.
Citizens work together in small groups of 10-15 people and in plenaries. A facilitation team provides support, alongside a committee of experts who provide additional input. Based on the discussions, citizens make recommendations for the European Commission to consider when defining policies and initiatives. The Citizens' Engagement Platform is a key part of a new ecosystem of citizen engagement, delivering upon a commitment of the follow-up communication to the Conference on the Future of Europe.
