EPBD – A positive signal from the European Parliament

On October 11, the ITRE Committee of the European Parliament voted with a large majority in favour of the Bendtsen’s report on the review of the Energy Performance of Building Directive. To Glass for Europe, the report, which amends the European Commission proposal released last year as part of Clean Energy Package, goes in the right direction. With this vote the European Parliament shows that it is determined to ensure that the energy saving potential of EU buildings does not remain untapped.

The adopted text made considerable progress while compared to the Commission proposal. It calls for a strong 2050 vision for the building stock to become highly energy efficient and strengthens national long-term strategies with the inclusion of milestones for 2030 and 2040. Glass for Europe welcomed the outcome of the vote as it includes the main asks of the flat glass industry, but regrets that the legislator did not ensure a proper assessment of the energy performance of windows by way of stricter guidance to Member States on the implementation of the energy balance methodology.

Read Glass for Europe press release on the vote.