EU’s ministers for energy are reportedly repelling the European Commission’s determination to stipulate a target for energy efficiency ratings in public buildings.

Ministers will meet in Luxembourg on 10 June to debate an energy-efficiency action plan, which begins with a modest single target – where just 3% of public buildings a year must be refurbished.

Ministers have apparently already voiced budget concerns over the plan and early comments relating to the plan suggest that member states “take note” of the commission’s proposal rather than endorsing it wholeheartedly.

“Despite everybody saying how beautiful energy efficiency is, [member states] are far from the weak commitments of the Commission,” said Monica Frassoni, president of the European Alliance to Save Energy.

Frassoni went on to state that if countries are “weary of European legislation”, then the need to drive towards energy efficiency improvements is demanding a more “European dimension” — member states’ efforts at an individual/national level will not meet energy efficiency targets set for 2020 she said.

Energy-efficiency consultant Stefan Scheuer has written a report highlighting the Netherlands, Slovenia and the UK as among the most “challenged” in terms of their efforts to meet energy targets for 2020.