In 2020, the European Commission presented its ‘Renovation Wave’ strategy to boost energy renovation of buildings in the EU. This strategy contains an action plan with:

• regulatory, financing and enabling measures; and
• the goal of at least doubling the annual energy renovation rate of buildings by 2030.

This goal requires, among others, a revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (Directive 2010/31/EU, EPBD) with focus on provisions that are central to boosting building renovation.

The Commission usually provides a roadmap to define the scope of the envisaged revision. The roadmap describes the problem to be tackled and objectives to be met, explains why EU action is needed, outlines policy options and describes the main features of the consultation strategy.

In the case of the EPBD revision, the roadmap is replaced by an inception impact assessment. The aim of this assessment is to analyse in more detail the issue to be addressed, whether action should be taken at EU level, and the potential economic, social and environmental effects of the different solutions outlined.

The inception impact assessment aims to inform citizens and stakeholders about the Commission’s plans to allow them to provide feedback on the intended initiative and to participate effectively in future consultation activities. Citizens and stakeholders are invited to provide views on the Commission’s understanding of the problem and possible solutions and to make available any relevant information that they may have, including on possible impacts of the different options. The results of the impact assessment help inform the Commission’s decision.

The EC’s inception impact assessment for the EPBD revision has now been published on the Have your say portal and is open for feedback until 22 March 2021.