Communication from the Commission — Guidelines on State aid for environmental protection and energy 2014-2020

‘(3) The Europe 2020 strategy focuses on creating the conditions for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. To that end, a number of headline targets have been set, including targets for climate change and energy sustainability: (i) a 20 % reduction in Union greenhouse gas emissions when compared to 1990 levels; (ii) raising the share of Union energy consumption produced from renewable resources to 20 %; and (iii) a 20 % improvement in the EU’s energy-efficiency compared to 1990 levels. The first two of these nationally binding targets were implemented by ‘The climate and energy package’.‘
‘(5) The headline targets mentioned in recital (3) are particularly important for these Guidelines. In order to support achieving those targets, the Europe 2020 strategy put forward the ‘Resource efficient Europe’ as one of the seven flagship initiatives (4). That flagship initiative aims to create a framework for policies to support the shift towards a resource-efficient and low-carbon economy which helps to:
(a) boost economic performance while reducing use of resources;
(b) identify and create new opportunities for economic growth and greater innovation and boost the Union’s competitiveness;
(c) ensure security of supply of essential resources;
(d) fight against climate change and limit the environmental impacts of the use resources.‘