Commission proposal for SAVE II programme
The European Commission has published its proposal for a second multiannual programme for the promotion of energy efficiency in the Community (SAVE II). The actions to be carried out under SAVE II are designed to complement current and past Community efforts to develop new energy technologies. SAVE II reinforces actions carried out under the 1991-1995 phase of the programme and has been expanded to incorporate, in particular, the Regional and Urban Energy Management action and the electricity end-use programme (PACE). The general overall objectives of the programme are to stimulate energy efficiency measures and increased levels of investment for energy saving, and to contribute to improving the energy intensity of final demand by a further percentage point per annum over that which would otherwise have been attained. Under the programme, the following categories of actions and measures on energy efficiency policy shall be financed: - Studies and other actions leading to the implementation and completion of Community legislation and performance standards governing energy efficiency (100% funding available); - Sectoral pilot actions aimed at accelerating energy efficiency investment and/or improving consumer energy use patterns, to be carried out either by Community-wide networks or, for targeted actions, by public and private enterprises (up to 50% funding available); - Measures aimed at fostering the exchange of experience, mainly through information networks, aimed at promoting better coordination between Community, international, national, regional and local activities through the establishment of appropriate means for exchanging information (100% financing for actions proposed by the Commission and up to 50% funding for actions proposed otherwise than by the Commission); - Detailed sectoral monitoring of energy efficiency progress in the Community, in individual Member States and including the programme itself (100% funding available); - Specific actions in favour of greater cohesion between Member States and regions in the field of energy efficiency, through support for the creation of energy efficiency infrastructures in those Member States and regions where energy efficiency policies are not yet sufficiently developed (up to 50% funding available); - Specific actions in favour of energy management at the regional and urban level (up to 50% funding available); - Studies and other actions in support of energy efficiency initiatives, within other programmes, with a view to establishing energy efficiency as a criterion within the Community strategic programmes (100% funding available); - Evaluation and monitoring of actions undertaken within the SAVE II programme (100% funding available). The Commission will be assisted in the implementation of the programme by an advisory committee composed of representatives of the member States and chaired by a representative of the Commission. The programme will be open to the associated countries of Central and Eastern Europe in accordance with the conditions, set out in the additional protocols to the association agreements, concerning participation in Community programmes.