The European Commission has called on 26 EU Member States, including Cyprus, to incorporate energy efficiency rules into their national legislation.
In a press release on Friday, the European Commission said it has decided to initiate infringement proceedingsby sending letters to Member States, excluding the Czech Republic, due to their failure to transpose the Energy Efficiency Directive (EU) 2023/1791 into national law.
The Directive was adopted in 2023, and the two-year deadline for Member States to transpose it into national law expired on October 11, 2025. Consequently, the Commission has sent letters not only to Cyprus but also to Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, and Sweden, urging them to comply with the Directive.
The new rules set out in the Directive establish a binding target to achieve an overall reduction in final energy consumption in the EU by 11.7% by 2030 (compared to 2020 projections). The Directive also requires Member States to ensure that the public sector leads by example, reducing its own final energy consumption by 1.9% annually (compared to 2021 levels) and renovating at least 3% of public buildings each year.
The rules also promote the creation of “one-stop shops” at the national level-mechanisms that provide free advice, guidance, and practical support for energy efficiency measures and renovations, making the process easier, especially for vulnerable households and those living in buildings with the worst energy performance. Additionally, the Directive encourages energy efficiency services, including through energy service companies and innovative financing solutions.
Member States now have a two-month deadline to respond, complete their transposition, and inform the Commission. In the absence of a satisfactory response, the Commission may decide to issue a reasoned opinion as the next step in the infringement procedure.