Ref: I10-CC-02-04 Description of current regulatory practices for the promotion of energy efficiency
KL) entered into an agreement with the Ministry of Energy, agreeing to fulfil the obligations outlined in the Circular. In 2009, an agreement was concluded with the Danish Regions, where the regions also accepted to meet the obligations for state institutions outlined in the Circular. Through a voluntary initiative designed to increase green public procurement over period 20082009, the Danish Environmental Protection Agency has prioritised several initiatives that can be classified under the following seven themes: partnership for green public procurement, including green procurement by the central government, communication and awareness, tools for green procurement, enhancement of private professional procurement, innovation-promoting procurement, green procurement by hospitals, and European and Nordic cooperation on green procurement. Estonia To optimise activities directed at the efficient use of energy, municipalities seeking financial assistance from national or EU sources are obliged to develop relevant plans. The process of energy planning started in the second half of the nineties when energy development plans for more than 20 municipalities were prepared as pilots in the context of an EC PHARE financed project. Later, financial assistance for energy related projects was available through the National Energy Efficiency Plan, financed from the state budget. In 2004 a 65 page manual on management of energy efficiency projects was issued, targeted especially to local governments. Currently, no comprehensive survey of local level energy development plans is available. The latest overview reflects plans drawn up using financial support from National Energy Efficiency Plan. This overview was compiled by the Energy Department of the MoEAC (Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications). During the period 1994 – 2006 87 energy development plans have been prepared for 72 municipalities (out of a total of 227), i.e. 32% of municipalities have this type of local level strategy document enabling them to prioritise the relevant measures and identify needed investments. No aggregated data on actual efficiency improvements realised is currently available. Finland The former voluntary energy and climate agreement in the municipal sector has been replaced by the Energy Efficiency Agreement and Programme for Municipalities for 2008-2016. The municipalities join either the agreement or the programme depending on their size. The agreement is for larger cities, municipalities and joined municipalities. Germany The German Integrated Energy and Climate Programme contains two specific measures: a programme for the energy-efficient modernisation of social infrastructure and another programme for the modernisation of federal buildings. In addition, the German government has developed Guidelines for the procurement of energyefficient products in Federal buildings. Now, the foreseeable operating costs over the serviceable life (above all the costs for the energy consumption of the devices to be procured) must be taken into account as well as purchasing costs during the evaluation of offers (life-cycle-costs principle). Greece
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