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News article17 May 2024European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency1 min read

Final recommendations of the EU citizen panel on Energy Efficiency

The European Citizens’ Panel on Energy Efficiency brought together 150 European citizens to discuss how energy may be used in the EU and how the energy system will change, during three sessions from March to April. Check out the final report!

EUcitizens

Over three weekends, 150 randomly selected citizens representing all 27 EU Member States came together to discuss the challenges and benefits of energy efficiency most relevant to them.

Timeline

  1. 23-25 February

    Session 1 - Brussels

    • Exchange of first ideas participants find most promising for this exercise.
    • Introduction to “energy efficiency”: what it means and what is already being done to improve it, both nationally and at EU level.  
    • Identifying the influence and impact of energy efficiency on our everyday lives, and ways to bring in its full benefits.

    Recordings 23 February 2024 | 25 February 2024

  2. 15-17 March

    Session 2 - Online

    • Stocktake of Session 1 and development of ideas by theme and topic.
    • First phase of developing recommendations.

    Recordings 15 March 2024 | 17 March 2024

  3. 12-14 April

    Closing session - Brussels

    • Drawing conclusions of debates and recommendations to the European Commission.
    • Explanation of next steps – impact on policymaking and feedback moment.

    Recordings 12 April 2024 | 14 April 2024

Together, they put forward a list of concrete recommendations that will contribute to shaping future EU laws and feed into upcoming Commission initiatives. This includes the foreseen Commission proposal for a Recommendation on the “Energy Efficiency First Principle”.

Participants focused on different aspects of energy efficiency that we might encounter at home, in our communities or in the workplace. Topics included, among others, how we heat our buildings, what kind of household appliances we buy, and what transport we use.

This was timely in light of the recent energy crisis that confirmed the need for a cleaner and more secure EU energy system.

At the end of the final session of the Panel, the citizens presented their recommendations to Maroš Šefčovič, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for the European Green Deal.

Check out the full list of recommendations