the rules that the EU wants go to the vote – Corriere.it

the vote in the European Parliament’s industry committee is scheduled for Thursday 9 February EU directive on the energy performance of buildings (Epbd), which aims to redevelop all residential properties in terms of energy, and then get to the vote of the plenary assembly in March. After 1,500 amendments, Popular (Ppe), Socialist (S&D), Liberal (Renew), Green and Left groups, led in the Industry and Energy Commission (Itre) by Irish MEP Ciaran Cuffe, agreed on the changes to be presented to the text: achieve energy class E by 2030 and D by 2033, with a goal of zero emissions by 2050.

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The adjustment would require a cut in energy consumption of about 25%, with potentially long, complex and expensive building interventions. Among the amendments, however, other novelties are envisaged: buildings of artistic value, historical ones, those of worship, second homes and those with a surface area of ​​less than 50 square meters may be exempted and a derogation from article 9 of the directive to introduce a principle of flexibility valid at least until 2037 and which could cover up to 22% of residential construction. This should allow Member States to inform the European Union of cases where there are objective and valid reasons to prevent the jump in energy class and stop at the level that will be technically possible to reach, even if this were to be lower than the target indicated by the directive. According to ANCE (National Association of Building Builders), despite the exceptions, the objectives remain unattainable in Italy: estimates predict a time of 630 years necessary to achieve only the first step, while even 3,800 for the second. Carrying out the interventions would require a considerable effort, as also shown by the estimates of Enea (National Agency for new technologies, energy and sustainable economic development), 74% of Italian homes, i.e. 11 million, would be in energy class lower than D .

The works carried out under the pressure of the Superbonus involved 290,000 housing units a year, a slightly distant target from the expected one if the times remain unchanged, said the president Gilberto Dialuce. Interventions which, above all, would require a considerable economic commitment from both the State and the private sector.

15% of energy-intensive buildings in class G

The rapporteur for the European Parliament, Ciaran Cuffe, clarified Italy’s doubts: There has been a lot of disinformation in Italy – he said -, it has been said that Brussels will tell the member states what to do, but nothing further from reality. The amendments adopted leave ample flexibility to the States for their National Restructuring Plans, which will contribute to create jobs and make them available to European citizens houses that consume less energy, improving the quality of their life. Furthermore, in the text, we divide Europe into four areas with four different efficiency targets, particularly interesting for countries such as Italy, and furthermore, the targets are proportionate because we ask for the energy classes to be recalculated by placing 15% of the most energy-intensive. The political groups that have not given their support to these changes are the conservatives Ecr (of which Fratelli d’Italia is a member) and Identity and Democracy (of which the Lega is a member).

Italy in comparison with the other EU countries

The Minister of the Environment and Energy Security, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, during the conference European policies on expanded real estate at the headquarters of the Italian Representation of the European Parliament, reiterated that the EU directive on “green houses” must be amended to adapt it to the context Italian, how special compared to the rest of Europe. The real estate heritage of our ancient, precious and fragile country and we must preserve it in the best possible way for future generations. Italy cannot deal with the issue of energy efficiency of buildings like other countries – commented Raffaele Fitto, Minister for European Affairs, the South, cohesion policies and the Pnrr -. There is a peculiarity of our country and the government will defend it. And also our real estate heritage which is different for its architectural, historical and cultural value. Even the Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, intervened reiterating that the government is in favor of reasonable environmentalism and recalling that 14 billion euros are earmarked by the Pnrr for the energy renovation of buildings. While sharing the approach of the proposed directive – he explained -, our intention is to negotiate in Europe for realistic objectives and implementation methods that do not embarrass businesses and households, taking into account the current context which, due to the pandemic and of war has become complex. Finally, the deputy premier, Matteo Salvini, added that we need to help and support without forcing and without penalizing, because otherwise the directive that Europe would like to impose on the heads of Italian families is a patrimonial one, reiterating the need for a law without obligations, without penalizing and without constraints.