Energy efficiency

Around €115 million is to be allocated to towns and local authorities for investments in services that will create jobs and improve energy efficiency, as approved by members of the European Parliament on the Industry, Research and Energy Committee on 2 September 2010.

The money is part of the unallocated funds of the European Energy Programme for Recovery and should cover local projects such as cleaner transport, smart and more efficient energy grids, more efficient street lighting, solar power, and smart metering of energy use.

The aim of reallocating this sum is to invest in secure and renewable energies, reduce CO2 emissions and create jobs as a part of the Europe 2020 strategy.

The Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) welcomes the Parliament's decision to use the unspent European Recovery plan money for such projects, as underlined in its Resolution on the financing of local and regional actions against climate change. CEMR now invites member states to 'back this proposal as soon as possible, so that the funds can rapidly benefit to innovative and ambitious policies of European municipalities and regions".