Guide: Applying for Technical Support to Implement the Renovation Wave
What is DG REFORM’s Structural Reform Support?
The Directorate-General for Structural Reform and Support (REFORM) is a new DG within the European Commission with the objective of helping EU countries to design and carry out structural reforms, e.g. when designing and implementing the National Recovery and Resilience Plans. The 2021-2027 long-term EU budget allocated nearly €1 billion to provide this type of tailor-made support, which could also significantly improve the absorption rates of EU funding across the Member States.
How does DG REFORM’s support differ from other available support from the EU?
DG REFORM’s support requires no co-financing from Member States. The support is not designed at the level of individual renovation projects but rather covers wider reforms along the entire process, from preparation and design to implementation.
How does DG REFORM’s support relate to buildings’ renovation?
Under the current call, DG REFORM provides flagship technical support for building renovation targeting EU countries wishing to design reforms implementing the EU Renovation Wave and long-term renovation strategies as well as reforms supporting the deployment of cohesion policy funding (see here).
More generally, DG REFORM offers technical support across a broad range of policy areas, including “sustainable growth and business environment” which handles climate and energy. For example, EU countries could request support for implementing national recovery plans, raising awareness, using innovative finance and digital instruments, and upskilling workers. Find more details on the policy areas concerned here.
Which applications for support have been chosen so far on buildings renovation?
- Public building energy efficiency plans and energy registry in Greece
- Energy efficiency awareness raising strategy in the Czech Republic
- Support on heating and cooling strategy in Slovenia
- Roadmap for scaling up energy efficiency investments in Hungary
- Establishing an energy efficiency expert platform in Poland
Find more examples of projects here.
How can I access DG REFORM’s Technical Support Instrument for my country?
- National Coordinating Authorities (specific Ministries and National Agencies) of Member States must submit a request to access the TSI by 31 October each year. DG REFORM can assist with the preparatory work before the final request has been lodged.
- DG REFORM selects the requests based on pre-defined criteria, and taking into account the expected reform impact and link to EU priorities.
- After successful selection, DG REFORM enters into dialogue with the national authorities to start the design and implementation of the projects.
Regional and local authorities are also eligible for technical support from the Commission. They submit their technical support request through their national coordinating authority.
Main contact point for applying for the Technical Support Instrument:
E-mail: REFORM-TSI@ec.europa.eu
Twitter: @EU_reforms
Op-ed: Public Buildings: The starter cog for the Renovation Wave (ECEEE)
Published by ECEEE on: 20 July 2021 | The review of the EED is an essential cog as the EU gears itself up to at least double the overall renovation rate from its paltry ~1% by the end of the decade, as part of the “Renovation Wave Strategy”. Ensuring public buildings are front and centre in our renovation efforts is an indispensable step.
EPBD revision: How to boost renovation rates and depth in the EU
The revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) is a necessary pre-condition to meet the Renovation Wave objectives and to achieve a highly energy efficient and decarbonised building stock by 2050. The stubbornly low renovation rates and depth across the EU to date calls for the need to strengthen the European regulatory and non-regulatory measures for energy renovations in the EPBD.
Renovate Europe Calls for MEPS in its EPBD Roadmap Response
Renovate Europe suggests that both the regulatory measures proposed in Option 3 and the non-regulatory measures proposed in Option 2 must be synchronised in the most effective way in the context of the upcoming revision of the EPBD to boost the rate and depth of renovation across the EU.
Op-ed: Don’t let our most valuable assets crumble away (ECEEE)
Published by ECEEE on: 16 March 2021 | The buildings that support our way of life are worth trillions of euros yet fears about how to fund energy renovations are stalling the sector’s green progress. There is plenty of cash out there looking for a home, you just need to know where to look, writes Adrian JOYCE, Director of the Renovate Europe Campaign.
Strengthen Article 5 of EED on Public Buildings
Article 5 of the EED currently requires public authorities to renovate 3% of buildings owned and occupied by the central government. Unfortunately, the limited scope, weak enforcement and availability of alternative measures has resulted in Article 5 having very little impact on the ground. The upcoming revision of the EED is the opportunity to strengthen Article 5 in order to achieve our shared goal of increased rate and depth of renovation across Europe.