Text tabled : A7-0331/2010

  Jean-Luc Bennahmias (ALDE), in writing. – (FR) Adopted by a large majority, the own-initiative report of Bendt Bendtsen sends a welcome political signal on the issue of energy, several days after the end of the Cancún Summit and two months before the Summit on Energy on 4 February 2011. Energy efficiency is without doubt one of the critical issues of our fight to protect the environment. Energy savings and energy efficiency are the most cost-efficient and fastest way to reduce CO2 emissions and improve security of supply. In this report, we are calling for renewed efforts to achieve the energy efficiency objective of 20% by 2020. However, I regret that the amendment calling on the European Commission to launch an initiative for the deep renovation of existing buildings next year did not get the necessary majority. The report only mentions new buildings and not the issue of the management of existing buildings. Yet buildings are responsible for about 40% of energy consumption and about 36% of greenhouse gas emissions in the EU.