Energy Performance of Buildings Directive: Retailers and Wholesalers welcome the European Parliament’s adoption of a more workable plan for charging stations

Today, the European Parliament adopted its position on the revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), including requirements for charging stations in non-residential buildings. Commenting on the outcome of the vote, EuroCommerce Director-General Christel Delberghe said:

“We are delighted that the European Parliament has seized the opportunity to make the EPBD more workable and implementable. Their decision represents a real improvement for the hundred of thousands of SMEs across the EU who are already faced with significant cumulative regulatory burdens in delivering on the sector’s green transition. Our sector supports the revision of the EPBD and its objective of upgrading the existing rules to achieve a zero-emission and fully decarbonised building stock by 2050. The continued roll-out of charging infrastructure for e-mobility is an important part of our sector’s sustainability transition and, with the amended position that was adopted by the plenary today, we see a solid foundation for the forthcoming negotiations between the co-legislators.”

A EuroCommerce study recently carried out in partnership with McKinsey estimates that the retail and wholesale sector needs to invest up to €600 billion between now and 2030 to achieve its digital and sustainability transformation and to attract and retain talent. As part of this, installing charging infrastructure for retailers’ and wholesalers’ own net-zero fleets and for their customers' electric vehicles would require and investment of €20-€40 billion, by the sector, between now and 2030.