The EU Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) for companies. Will you be compliant by 5th December 2019?

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The clock is ticking.  The deadline for Article 8 EU Energy Efficiency compliance for large companies is 5 December 2019 in most countries. To reach this, you need to submit (or have available) an energy audit report that meets all national requirements.

What is Article 8?


Article 8 of the EU Energy Efficiency Directive 2012/27/EU (EU EED), which has been transposed into national legislation in all EU Member States, requires large enterprises (non-SMEs/ 250+ persons employed) to comply with the energy audit obligation. 

Comply with the energy audit obligation of the Energy Efficiency Directive in EU.

The aim of the EU’s Energy Efficiency Directive is to help citizens, public authorities and businesses to better manage their energy consumption.  It establishes a set of binding measures on member states. These measures help the EU reach its 20% energy efficiency target for 2020. These measures include: 

  • An annual rate of renovation for central Government buildings of 3%.
  • An obligation on public bodies to procure products, services and buildings with high energy efficient performance.
  • Mandatory energy audits  and energy management obligations for the industrial sector.
  • A framework for obligatory national energy savings equivalent to 1.5% of energy sales.

Under the Energy Efficiency Directive, all EU countries are required to use energy more efficiently at all stages of the energy chain, from production to final consumption.

Since its inception there has been confusion surrounding Article 8 as the transposition into national legislation has varied significantly, and in some areas there is an ongoing lack of clarity. This has resulted in eligibility and compliance requirements that vary significantly from country to country, and many challenges for large enterprises to manage their risks across European operations.

On 30 November 2016 the Commission proposed an update to the Energy Efficiency Directive, including a new 30% energy efficiency target for 2030, and measures to update the Directive to make sure the new target is met.

Is my company affected?

A large company is any company that meets either one or both of the conditions below:

  • it employs 250 or more people
  • it has an annual turnover in excess of 50 million euro, and an annual balance sheet total in excess of 43 million euro

You must take part in Article 8 if your organisation qualifies as a large undertaking. Please follow the below EU guidance notes to make sure that your company is affected.

How can 3cea help? 

You might find that Article 8 offers you the opportunity to put in place a longer term solution to sustainability compliance. Our team will help you do the energy audits, 3cea team have 3 Registered Energy Auditors who can complete & sign off compliance with SI 426. 

Our skilled team of engineers could also assist in applying for Project Assistance Grant funding through SEAI for up to 50% (max €7,500) towards the audit depending on organisations size & cost of audit.

This can add long term value going forward by providing a more sustainable framework and improving energy efficiency across your business.

Guidance notes

To help officials in EU countries implement the Energy Efficiency Directive, the European Commission publishes guidance notes.

Implementing the Energy Efficiency Directive – Commission Guidance [COM(2013) 762]

Library of Guidance Notes (CIRCABC)

More specific good practice guidance for Member States on the implementation of aspects of Articles 9-11 relating to collectively provided thermal energy in multi-apartment buildings has also been developed at the request of the Commission.

National energy efficiency targets

To reach the EU’s 20% energy efficiency target by 2020, individual EU countries have set their own indicative national energy efficiency targets. Depending on country preferences, these targets can be based on primary or final energy consumption, primary or final energy savings, or energy intensity.

EU Member State
Absolute level of energy consumption in 2020 [Mtoe] as notified from Member States in 2013, in the NEEAP 2014, Annual Reports or in separate notifications to the European Commission in 2015 and 2016
Primary energy consumption Final energy consumption
Austria 31.5 25.1
Belgium 43.7 32.5
Bulgaria 16.9 8.6
Croatia 11.15 7.0
Cyprus 2.2 1.8
Czech Republic 39.6 25.3
Denmark 17.4 14.4
Estonia 6.5 2.8
Finland 35.9 26.7
France 219.9 131.4
Germany 276.6 194.3
Greece 24.7 18.4
Hungary 24.1 14.4
Ireland 13.9 11.7
Italy 158.0 124.0
Latvia 5.4 4.5
Lithuania 6.5 4.3
Luxembourg 4.5 4.2
Malta 0.7 0.5
Netherlands 60.7 52.2
Poland 96.4 71.6
Portugal 22.5 17.4
Romania 43.0 30.3
Slovakia 16.4 9.0
Slovenia 7.3 5.1
Spain 119.8 80.1
Sweden 43.4 30.3
United Kingdom 177.6 129.2
Sum of indicative targets EU28 1526 1077
EU28 target 2020 1483 1086

Status: 04/01/2017 Source: https://ec.europa.eu/energy/en/topics/energy-efficiency/energy-efficiency-directive