To welcomes the proposal of the European Commission to work in close partnership with the European Committee of the Regions on the Renovation Wave and to propose the creation of joint platform with the other EU institutions bringing together all the information that local and regional authorities need to roll out the Green Deal
To showcase the role of LRAs in the implementation of the Renovation Wave initiative;
To calls on the inclusion of the Renovation Wave into the recovery and resilience programmes (RRF) as well as under the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF);
To expressly supports the launch of a New European Bauhaus initiative and calls on the Commission to make the Renovation wave a corner stone for the European Bauhaus initiative;
To call for a true monitoring approach on the changes made y renovation measures by the EU building stock observatory;
To advocates for more decentralised model of the ELENA facility, based on promoting and standardising the one-stop-shop model;
To cooperate with the European Commission as regards the work of the new Observatory on energy poverty;
To ensure that the Commission does not forget the specific situation of less urbanised, more outlying and sparsely-populated rural areas such as outermost regions in the deployement of the renovation wave and proposes its help in the implementation of the Clean energy for EU islands;
To emphasises that the multilevel climate and energy dialogue must be developed;
This opinion has produced several impacts:
It has led to reinforced cooperation with the Portugal Presidency of the Council of the EU - a Multilevel Climate and Energy Dialogue focusing on the Renovation Wave in Recovery and Resilience Plans is organised following the adoption of the opinion; it will permit inter alia to ensure more multi-level governance in the drawing up of national recovery and resilience plans
The Joint Action Plan for an Enhanced Cooperation on the Renovation Wave between the European Committee of the Regions and the European Commission was signed with the presence of Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson
Decentralised ELENA Facility
Energy Poverty Observatory relaunched
THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS
• welcomes the Renovation Wave which, by targeting a sector responsible for 40% of energy consumption in Europe, will help achieve climate neutrality by 2050 and reduce energy dependency on third countries, increasing European energy security. Considers that it is essential that this policy be incorporated into the recovery and resilience programmes (RRF) as well as under the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) so that efforts are coordinated, avoiding separate and inefficient measures;
• welcomes and expressly supports the launch of a New European Bauhaus initiative, and the parallel move to establish a distinctive European label;
• welcomes the reference to a district-based and energy community approach, which will, for example, allow for the use of joint renewable energy production facilities, district heating and cooling and nature-based solutions and points out that this will entail the use of integrated energy and climate planning tools; highlights that the Covenant of Mayors is a benchmark in this respect;
• recognises the importance of introducing legislative requirements for purchasing and renovation of all existing public buildings as well as minimum energy performance standards and mandatory targets for the annual renovation rate of the public building stock and the use of renewable energy;
• stresses that the vicious circle of energy poverty not only affects vulnerable households and natural persons, but that businesses and sometimes small local authorities may also suffer from very similar dynamics;
• has no hesitation in asserting that local and regional authorities play a pivotal role in guaranteeing that building renovation meets land use and town planning requirements, promotes policies to counter depopulation and is in line with social equity and green criteria. Points out that the mechanisms for financing the Renovation Wave chosen by the Member States must not undermine this fundamental coordination role;
• welcomes the proposal of the European Commission to work in close partnership with the European Committee of the Regions on the Renovation Wave.