The European Union and its member states reached an agreement on Friday to reduce energy consumption by 11.7%. The target has been set for 2030. The EU wants to reduce its environmental impact with this measure, in addition to reducing its dependence on Russian energy. Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, European energy policy has undergone profound changes.
The agreement still requires formal validation by the member states represented in the Council of Europe and the Council of the European Union. In addition, the measure also needs to be approved by the European Parliament, which has not yet made a final decision on the matter. Parliament will need to formally adopt the directive by a majority vote.
Citizens will be affected
Each EU country will have to reduce its total energy consumption progressively until the target is reached in 2030. The measures affect end-users. The agreement stipulates that member states expect to reduce consumption by 1.5% per year before adjusting the balance.
According to the statement, member states will have flexibility with quotas, as long as they jointly reach the target cut. Individual EU countries may benefit from a 2.5% variation according to their unique characteristics and national energy plans.
If the target is not reached, a correction formula is foreseen in the energy plans to ensure that the target is reached. The calculation of the correction formula takes into account, among other things, national energy intensity, GDP per capita, the development of renewable energies, and the potential for energy savings.
