Cecodhas - Structural funds and energy efficiency in housing : a wasted opportunity ?

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Structural funds and energy efficiency in housing : a wasted opportunity ?

03-09-07

While housing expenditure has been made eligible for financing by the Structural Funds in the « new » Member States, where energy issues are quite accute, the use of Structural Funds to invest in the improvement of energy efficiency in residential buildings might be not allowed by the EC in the EU 15, despite attempts of Regions of in those countries to put this priority in their Operational Programmes.

Despite an initial response from Commissioner Hübner, who seemed aware of the difficulty (see news from 17.08.07), European Commission services subsequently informed regions of the EU-15 that the ERDF should not support investment in residential building aimed at increasing energy-efficiency and the promotion of renewable energies.

Paul-Louis Marty, President of CECODHAS, states that « despite the very positive sign of the eligibilty of housing expenditure for the new Member States, we fear that this Structural Funds period might be a wasted oppportunity in the quest for a real energy- intelligent EU. We at CECODHAS think that it is still time to find legal solutions to allow investment in energy-efficiency measures in the housing sector in all the EU-27. »

Operations like feasibility studies or training in the field of energy efficiency and renewables can be supported by the Funds.

Buildings are responsible for more than 40% of all CO2 emissions in the EU, and the residential sector represents the main contributor from the EU building stock (77% of the emissions in 2002); thus, there is increasing evidence that housing has a great potential for energy saving. Improving existing homes and ensuring that new homes meet low energy consumption standards will be therefore be one of the key factors to meet the objectives set by the EU for its energy and environmental strategy.

CECODHAS members- which are national and regional social housing federations all over Europe- have been committed to promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy in many different ways. Resources from the EU are often considered as key instruments to lever addition funding to meet this objective.

To read more about Structural Funds and Housing, click here

To read CECODHAS position on energy issues, click here

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