Source: European Parliament
Forty-seven million people in Europe did not have the possibility of adequately heating their homes last winter. It is unacceptable and the Commissioner for Energy and Housing states in his hearing that this needs to be addressed.
The existing EU legislative framework addresses the need to alleviate energy poverty. The Commission will strongly support its implementation.
The recently adopted Energy Efficiency Directive EU/2023/1791[1], for example, provides for the first time a definition of energy poverty and links it with measures to be implemented at national level to empower and protect all EU citizens.
The Social Climate Fund has been established to ensure a socially fair transition and address the social impacts of the new emissions trading system for buildings and road transport (ETS2) on vulnerable groups, especially those in energy or transport poverty.
Together with a mandatory minimum 25% contribution of the Member States, the Fund will mobilise at least EUR 86.7 billion over the 2026-2032 period.
People must always remain at the heart of EU ambitions, in her Political Guidelines 2024-2029[2] and mission letters, the President of the Commission confirms that ensuring a just transition remains a priority.
The Commissioner for Energy and Housing has been tasked to develop a Citizens Energy Package to increase citizen participation in the energy transition and strengthen the social dimension of the Energy Union and to propose further measures to address energy poverty[3].
The Commission has put forward an Action Plan for Affordable Energy Prices, as part of the Clean Industrial Deal, to help bring down prices for households and business, helping combating energy poverty.
- [1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2023/1791/oj
- [2] https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/e6cd4328-673c-4e7a-8683-f63ffb2cf648_en?filename=Political%20Guidelines%202024-2029_EN.pdf
- [3] https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/35154547-48c1-4671-8d34-13e098859a57_en?filename=mission-letter-jorgensen.pdf