http://www.energyefficiencynews.com/articles/i/5428/?cid=3

The European Union's new energy efficiency directive, which sets out measures to realise a 20% improvement in energy efficiency across the region by 2020, was officially adopted by member states yesterday.

The directive, which was agreed by a majority of member states except Spain, Portugal and Finland, will establish a common framework of measures to promote energy efficiency and require member states to set a national energy efficiency target by next April.

Then, starting from January 2014, the directive will also require that member states renovate 3% of government-owned floorspace every year to improve energy efficiency.

The directive will also require that energy suppliers and distributors achieve an end-use energy savings target of 1.5% on annual energy sales to customers as part of an energy efficiency obligation.

The statement from the Council of the European Union says that the raft of measures introduced by the directive should enable the region to improve energy efficiency 17% by 2020 - compared with the target of 20%.