Brussels, 29th January-2nd February 2007

Local energy management represented a key dimension during the week. On Monday in the ManagEnergy Reflection Group, representatives of local energy agencies revealed that the recently published Energy Package is weak on the demand side, contains only reference to former directives and the Energy Efficiency Action Plan. Implementation of the Buildings Directive and Energy Services Directive also lag behind in several member states.

On Wednesday, 31st January, in the conference ‘Save Energy, Save the Climate’, organized by the CEMR, Alan Coleman, Councillor of Cork County Council and Member of the Board of Energie-Cites shared his view on roles and means of local governments to achieve European energy objectives. Mr. Coleman highlighted that subsidiarity should be not used as an excuse, but as an opportunity to empower local decision makers in energy: public procurement and energy efficiency integrated in local policies play key roles here.

In the ManagEnergy Conference on Thursday, 1st February a video conference took place between Grenoble, l’Assises Nationales de l’Energie` and Brussels. Commissioner Andris Piebalgs highlighted the need for a European Energy Policy, where Member States need to take real commitments, not just promises, and also stressed that without the local players Europe cannot achieve any objectives set.

On Thursday, Michel Delebarre President of the Committee of the Regions and MEP Mechtild Rothe visited and acknowledged our exhibition IMAGINE, that took place throughout the whole week. Presentations and video recordings of the week are available on the ManagEnergy website.

Kristina Dely
Project Manager