Calls on the Commission to encourage Member States to adopt and improve systems for monitoring, measuring and managing energy efficiency in buildings in order to achieve substantial gains in energy efficiency in buildings in the EU.

95. Stresses that gains in energy efficiency both reduce energy bills for households and industries and decrease the EU’s dependence on imports from third countries in a significant way; underlines that there is the potential to create two million jobs as a result of energy efficiency measures by 2020, in particular in the building sector, which accounts for 40 % of total EU energy demand; stresses that gains in energy efficiency are complementary to a diversification of the energy supply;

92. Stresses that gains in energy efficiency both reduce energy bills for households and industries and decrease the EU's dependence on imports from third countries in a significant way; underlines that there is the potential to create two million jobs as a result of energy efficiency measures by 2020, in particular in the building sector, which accounts for 40 % of total EU energy demand; stresses that gains in energy efficiency are complementary to a diversification of the energy supply;

80. Stresses the need to improve the use of existing EU funds such as the ERDF and EAFRD for energy efficiency measures; urges the Member States to make energy efficiency a priority in their operational programmes, and calls on the Commission and the national authorities to develop ways to facilitate the use of structural funds for energy efficiency measures, such as ensuring better information flow to the local level or establishing one-stop shops and finally reminds that those measures should be evaluated and that energy efficiency gains be an important parameter in this evaluation;

17. Suggests that the Commission conduct an impact assessment of the administrative costs of introducing a system to control energy efficiency gains; believes that the cost-benefit principle should be applied to each legislative initiative regarding energy efficiency and with regard being had to the economic costs of global warming and of energy insecurity, given that energy efficiency is important in cutting CO2 emissions and improving security of supply;

80. Considers that high levels of spending on research and development at national and EU level are necessary to enable the potential for energy efficiency to be exploited and criticises, in that respect, the decision of the Heads of State and Government as regards the financial framework for 2007-2013 and the reduction it implies for the budget of the Seventh Framework Programme; considers it is essential that the EU lead by example by treating research expenditure within the Seventh Framework Programme in the field of energy efficiency as a priority, taking into account the considerable potential for energy efficiency gains, reductions in emis ...[+++]sions and a global market for new and efficient equipment and systems, and refraining from cutting the Seventh Framework Programme budget in the energy efficiency sector, and calls for Member States, industry and the Seventh Framework Programme to achieve successful demonstrations in all these areas; considers that the CIP must play an important role in the promotion and marketing of new technologies;