EU Energy and Environment Report 2008

The European Environment Agency (EEA) is an agency of the European Union. Its task is to provide sound, independent information on the environment. The EEA is a major information source for those involved in developing, adopting, implementing and evaluating environmental policy, and also the general public.

The Energy and Environment Report assesses the key drivers, environmental pressures and some impacts from the production and consumption of energy, taking into account the main objectives of the European policy on energy and environment including: security of supply, competitiveness, increased energy efficiency and renewable energy, and environmental sustainability. The report addresses the following six main policy questions and presents trends existing within the EU compared to other countries.

• What is the impact of energy production and use on the environment?
• What are the trends concerning the energy mix in Europe and what are its related environmental consequences?
• How rapidly are renewable technologies being implemented?
• Is the European energy production system becoming more efficient?
• Are environmental costs reflected adequately in the energy price?
• What are the energy consumption trends in households, and what policies exist to improve energy efficiency?

The full report is available on Europe's Energy Portal.

Energy Efficiency in Europe

Reducing energy consumption and eliminating energy wastage are among the main goals of the European Union (EU). EU support for improving energy efficiency will prove decisive for competitiveness, security of supply and for meeting the commitments on climate change made under the Kyoto Protocol. There is significant potential for reducing consumption, especially in energy-intensive sectors such as buildings, manufacturing, energy conversion and transport. At the end of 2006, the EU pledged to cut its annual consumption of primary energy by 20% by 2020. To achieve this goal, it is working to mobilise public opinion, decision-makers and market operators and to set minimum energy efficiency standards and rules on labelling for products, services and infrastructure.

The EU has set new energy efficiency requirements that lamps produced for the EU market need to fulfill as from 1 September 2009. Traditional incandescent and halogen bulbs will be gradually phased out from the market by the end of 2012. However, particular care was taken to ensure that consumers will find lamp alternatives either offering the same light quality or higher energy savings.