The European commission has tabled legislative proposals to achieve further energy efficiency gains across Europe.  The proposals are part of a wide-ranging package of measures announced on Thursday to increase the security of energy supplies and help meet EU climate goals (see related articles, this issue).

At the core of Thursday's announcement is a second strategic energy review focusing on the issue of financing in areas such as energy efficiency, low carbon technologies and infrastructures.  The review also addresses the need to develop an energy policy for 2030 and 2050.

Legislative proposals announced by the commission include draft laws revising directives on energy labelling and the energy performance of buildings, and new rules on tyre labelling.  Other measures include detailed guidelines on how to calculate electricity production from cogeneration.

Improving energy efficiency is regarded as a top EU priority but there are concerns that, in practice, the issue is not being given the same attention as other climate goals such as increasing renewable energy production.  A report published earlier this year shows most EU countries are not taking sufficient action in this area.

But the commission showed optimism on Thursday by saying Europe will achieve its goal of reducing energy consumption by 20 per cent in 2020, and possibly go beyond.  Measures currently in place are expected to deliver up to 15 per cent energy savings.  This new energy package will deliver further savings of up to 7 per cent, it says.

A new initiative on sustainable energy financing is being prepared with the European investment bank and other financial bodies to "mobilise large-scale funding from capital markets for investment in energy efficiency", the commission says.  Progress towards implementing the EU's 2006 energy efficiency action plan will be assessed next year.

The commission will also propose in 2010 a new EU energy policy for 2030-50 with the aim of decarbonising Europe's electricity supply and ending the transport sector's high reliance on oil.  A road map setting out necessary actions will be developed as part of the EU's strategic energy technologies (SET) initiative.

Follow-up: European commission, tel: +32 2 299 1111, plus press release, second strategic energy review and energy efficiency memo and policy paper.  See also memo on cogeneration .