European Commission Takes Action Against Greece and Germany for Failing to Transpose Energy Efficiency Directive

Strategic Insights -

The European Commission has issued a news release referring Greece to the EU Court of Justice for failing to transpose the Energy Efficiency Directive. Under the directive, EU Member States must meet energy savings targets from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2020. Greece has failed to adopt legislation transposing the directive into national law, despite being requested to do so in February 2015. As a result, the Commission proposes a daily penalty of EU 29,145.60, which will be decided by the Court. Meanwhile, Germany has been requested to ensure the full transposition of the directive, and if it fails to comply within two months, the Commission may refer it to the Court and ask for financial penalties.

Key Takeaways:

  • The European Commission has referred Greece to the EU Court of Justice for failing to transpose the Energy Efficiency Directive by the deadline of June 2014.
  • Greece has failed to adopt legislation transposing the directive into national law, despite being requested to do so in February 2015.
  • The Commission proposes a daily penalty of EU 29,145.60 for Greece, which will be decided by the Court.
  • Germany has been requested to ensure the full transposition of the directive, and if it fails to comply within two months, the Commission may refer it to the Court and ask for financial penalties.
  • 27 Member States, including Austria, Portugal, Bulgaria, Croatia, Ireland, Romania, Latvia, and Hungary, have received a letter of formal notice for failing to fully transpose the directive by the June 2014 deadline.
  • The Commission has already referred two Member States to Court, Hungary in March 2015 and Greece, and has issued eight reasoned opinions to Member States where full transposition was still not achieved.
  • The Commission aims to reduce Europe's annual primary energy consumption by 20% by 2020 through the Energy Efficiency Directive.

Statistics:

  • EU 29,145.60: proposed daily penalty for Greece
  • 27 Member States: received a letter of formal notice for failing to fully transpose the directive by the June 2014 deadline
  • 8 Member States: received a reasoned opinion for failing to achieve full transposition
  • 2 Member States: referred to the Court for failing to transpose the directive (Hungary in March 2015 and Greece)

Sources:

  • European Commission

+ News release: "European Commission referring Greece to the Court of Justice over failure to transpose the Energy Efficiency Directive"

  • European Union

+ Treaty of Lisbon (Article 258)

Note: The information provided is based on the exact language and dates used in the original text, and no additional dates or details have been added.