Malta among 19 EU states warned over failure to submit building renovation plans

Malta is among 19 EU member states that have been formally warned by the European Commission for failing to submit a key national plan aimed at improving the energy performance of buildings. 

The Commission on Wednesday said it had opened infringement procedures against Belgium, Czechia, Germany, Estonia, Ireland, Greece, France, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia and Sweden for not submitting their draft National Building Renovation Plans (NBRPs) by the deadline of December 31, 2025. 

The plans are required under the recast Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EU) 2024/1275, one of the EU’s main legislative tools for cutting energy consumption and emissions in the building sector. 

The Commission has now sent these countries letters of formal notice, the first step in the EU infringement process. They have two months to respond and submit their draft plans or risk further legal action, which could eventually escalate to a reasoned opinion and potentially a case before the Court of Justice of the European Union. 

The National Building Renovation Plans are intended to provide a long-term roadmap for transforming each country’s building stock into a highly energy-efficient and decarbonised sector by 2050, in line with EU climate targets. 

Under the directive, the plans must outline how governments intend to renovate both residential and non-residential buildings, set targets for 2030, 2040 and 2050, and detail the policies, financing and investments required to achieve them. 

They are also expected to identify barriers in the construction and renovation sectors, assess national building stock and propose measures to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. 

The European Commission said the plans are essential for creating “predictable renovation pipelines” and investment certainty, enabling both public authorities and the construction industry to plan long-term upgrades to buildings across Europe. 

Buildings account for around 40% of energy consumption in the EU, with roughly 80% of energy used in homes going towards heating, cooling and hot water, making the sector a major focus of energy-efficiency policy. 

Improving the energy performance of buildings is seen as crucial to cutting emissions, lowering energy bills and reducing dependence on fossil fuels. 

The revised directive forms part of the EU’s broader Fit for 55 climate package, which aims to cut greenhouse-gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared with 1990 levels. 

Among other measures, the directive introduces minimum energy performance standards for buildings, encourages the installation of solar energy systems, and requires all new buildings to be zero-emission by 2030, with public buildings reaching that standard two years earlier. 

The Commission did not provide reasons for why the 19 member states missed the submission deadline. 

However, the plans represent a new instrument introduced in the 2024 revision of the directive, replacing earlier long-term renovation strategies and requiring more detailed, harmonised reporting from governments. 

So far, only a handful of EU countries have submitted their draft plans on time, including Bulgaria, Croatia, Finland, Lithuania, Romania, Slovenia and Spain, according to EU energy policy sources. 

Member states are required to finalise and submit the completed plans by December 31, 2026, after the Commission has reviewed the drafts and issued recommendations. 

If implemented effectively, the plans are expected to significantly increase the renovation rate of Europe’s building stock, helping reduce emissions while improving housing quality and energy affordability across the bloc.