The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has created a Study Group to prepare an Opinion on the revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. As EBC’s President Patrick Liébus is a member of the EESC and of this Study Group, EBC is contributing to this discussion underlining the positive role of the energy renovation works for the creation of jobs and growth.
In 2015 energy retrofitting works were worth over € 100 billion, roughly 15% of the total turnover of construction activities in the EU. The vast majority of this turnover is created in the housing sector. A continuous increase in the coming years has the potential to boost the EU’s energy performance and to increase employment numbers, especially among young people in local areas. In 2015 energy renovation works employed directly close to 900,000 people.
This is a flourishing market that is already producing positive effects for our society. The Clean Energy Package should boost it even further through sufficient and stable financial measures.
Next step in the EESC
The draft Opinion will be voted in the TEN Section (Transport, Energy, Infrastructure and the Information Society) of the EU Economic and Social Committee on 11 April. The EESC Plenary is likely to adopt the final version by May 2017.