REHVA has submitted its contribution to the European Commission’s public consultation on the revision of the governance framework of the Energy Union and Climate Action. This input reflects the collective expertise of REHVA members and supporters, reaffirming the organisation’s continued engagement in EU policy advocacy and its commitment to shaping a resilient, efficient, and sustainable built environment.

Context of the legislation

The consultation forms part of the ongoing revision of Regulation (EU) 2018/1999, the legislative backbone of the Energy Union. This framework governs how Member States plan, report, and monitor their progress towards EU energy and climate objectives, notably through National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs). Launched in December 2025, the revision aims to modernise and simplify the governance system while aligning it with key EU priorities such as decarbonisation, competitiveness, affordability, and energy security. The process also marks a crucial step in preparing the EU’s policy framework for the period beyond 2030, with a stronger focus on investment, implementation, and stakeholder engagement.

REHVA’s contribution

REHVA’s submission highlights a set of core principles to ensure that the revised governance framework delivers effective and realistic outcomes:

• Technology neutrality and performance-based targets
  REHVA stresses that policies should define objectives rather than prescribe specific solutions. A “one-size-fits-all” approach risks limiting innovation and excluding efficient alternatives.
• Strengthening NECPs as investment instruments
  The contribution underlines the need to transform NECPs into genuine investment plans, guiding both public and private funding towards impactful energy transition measures, particularly in buildings.
• Focus on demand-side measures and building performance
  Greater attention should be given to reducing energy demand through building efficiency, demand-controlled systems, and energy recovery solutions that deliver measurable savings in real conditions.
• Enhancing quality and performance assurance
  REHVA calls for stronger quality requirements in construction and renovation, including commissioning, monitoring, and ensuring that technical systems perform as intended over time.
• Promoting decentralisation and system resilience
  A diversified energy system—combining different technologies and energy carriers—is essential to ensure resilience, flexibility, and security of supply.
• Balancing key policy dimensions
  Decisions should simultaneously address decarbonisation, affordability, and energy security, avoiding approaches that prioritise one dimension at the expense of others

Importance for REHVA members and supporters

This contribution directly reflects the expertise and practical experience of REHVA’s network, including engineers, researchers, and industry stakeholders.

By advocating for realistic, performance-based and technology-neutral policies, REHVA supports a regulatory environment that enables its members and supporters to:

• Develop and implement innovative HVAC and building solutions,
• Contribute effectively to national and EU energy strategies,
• Ensure that investments translate into real energy savings and improved indoor environments.

Engagement in this consultation also reinforces REHVA’s role as a trusted interlocutor between the technical community and EU policymakers, ensuring that legislation remains grounded in practical implementation.

Next steps

The revision of the Governance Regulation represents a key opportunity to strengthen the EU’s energy and climate framework for the decade ahead. REHVA’s contribution aims to ensure that this framework remains effective, flexible, and aligned with real-world conditions in the building sector.

Following the closure of the consultation in March 2026, the European Commission will assess stakeholder input and prepare a legislative proposal expected in 2026.

REHVA will continue to actively follow this process and contribute to future discussions, supporting its members and partners in delivering a sustainable, resilient, and efficient energy transition across Europe.