The European Commission has opened a public consultation on how EU energy efficiency rules should look after 2030, ahead of a legislative proposal due in the last quarter of 2026.
The process includes a 12-week open public consultation and a four-week call for evidence, with responses due by 12 June 2026 and 16 April 2026 respectively, according to the Commission’s announcement issued on Friday.
Feedback from both exercises will be used in preparing the Commission’s proposal for a “post-2030 energy efficiency framework.”
The EU’s main law in this area is the Energy Efficiency Directive, first adopted in 2012 and revised several times since.
The Directive sets out measures intended to promote energy efficiency across the bloc, including binding EU-level energy efficiency targets, national contributions, and requirements covering public sector action and consumer and business measures.
What the review will look at
Recent assessments have identified a need to keep the energy efficiency framework “fit for purpose” as technology and geopolitical conditions change, the Commission said.
It added the upcoming framework would be aligned with EU priorities including reducing energy costs, supporting industrial productivity, and improving the resilience and flexibility of Europe’s energy system.
The review will also examine streamlining existing provisions, reducing administrative burdens and improving how rules are implemented.
The consultation is running alongside a similar process on updating the EU’s renewable energy framework beyond 2030, and follows work on the “Governance regulation” beyond 2030 — rules that guide how EU countries plan and report on energy and climate policies.
