2024-09-08 08:28:32
14 percent of the customers of utility companies u of us had overdue accounts, shows an analysis of energy poverty in the 27 countries in the European Union
Bulgaria, Lithuania and Greece are facing higher levels of permanent energy poverty, and in our country and in Greece more than 10% of the population is in such a situation.
This is clear from an analysis of energy poverty in the 27 EU countries by the Union’s Joint Research Center. It was published on August 21 and its data was cited by the Institute for Energy Management. The report covers the years from 2013 to 2021.
The study examined three
indicator
– ability to keep the home warm enough, past due utility bills in the last 12 months, leaking roof, damp walls (floors) or rotting.
The results show that in 2021, around 3.5% of people in the EU failed to keep their homes warm enough for at least three years in a 4-year period.
In 2013-2014, the number was around 6% and gradually decreased until 2021.
A similar trend is also observed in the arrears of utility bills, it is slightly below 3% in 2021.
The proportion of those who consistently have a leak, damp or rot in their house during the period 2013-2021 is around 10-11% each year.
The highest share of people who were permanently unable to keep their home warm enough is in Bulgaria (28% in 2020), second is Lithuania with 19.5 percent, third are the Greeks with over 10 percent.
In the group of countries with households that do not have the opportunity to heat their home with a share below the EU average, there are also Portugal, Cyprus and Romania.
At the other pole are Finland and
Luxembourg,
where the share of the population that does not keep warm at home is only 0.1%. In 7 other countries (Sweden, Estonia, Austria, Slovenia, Denmark, Czech Republic and the Netherlands) it is lower than 1%.
The results show that between 2013 and 2020 in almost all countries the proportions are unchanged. The exceptions are Spain and Lithuania, which recorded an increase of around 1-2%. In Malta there was a remarkable drop of 19%, and in Bulgaria – by 11%. In Portugal, Cyprus, Poland, Italy and Hungary, the share of these people also decreased by more than 5%.
One in five in Greece had permanent arrears on their utility bills in 2020. In Bulgaria, 14% of utility company customers are in debt, in Romania they are 10 percent, followed by Croatia (8%) and Hungary (5 %).
In the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Austria, Luxembourg, Portugal, Sweden, Germany, Belgium and Italy, only 1% or less were in arrears for at least 3 years, including 2020.
In terms of housing conditions, the proportion of residents who experienced a leak, damp or rot in their homes for at least one year between 2017 and 2020 was just under 30% in the EU.
This share is over 40% in Portugal, Latvia, Slovenia and Italy.
Below 20 percent are only 9 member states, the lowest results are in Slovakia (10%), Finland and Malta (11-11.5%). In the EU as a whole, 14% of the population experienced leakage, dampness or rot for at least two years during the period.
In Cyprus about 2/5 of people face this problem, in Hungary, Portugal, Latvia and Slovenia it affects more than 1/4 of the population.
The lowest rates for two or more years were reported in Finland (4%), followed by Slovakia, Malta, the Czech Republic and Sweden, at 6-7%.
Analysis emphasizes
on persistent energy poverty
The findings show that around 47-48% of people in energy poverty in 2020 were persistently so for the period 2017-2020. However, this proportion varies across countries. An example is given with Bulgaria, where 95% of those unable to heat their homes have been facing this problem for years. In Lithuania and Romania, these households are over 70%, in Greece almost two-thirds of people had constant problems with heating.
In contrast, less than 5% of the energy poor in Luxembourg are permanently unable to heat their home, 8% in Finland, and under 20 in Sweden, Estonia and Denmark.
The analysis recommends policy measures for the immediate and long-term aspects of energy poverty, according to the specifics of the countries.
It is noted that energy prices, housing costs, and social protection affect permanent energy poverty.
Enhanced financial support for vulnerable groups is recommended, with financial support to be complemented by energy efficiency investments to reduce long-term household energy costs. The data show that each additional year spent in poverty or with a high housing cost burden significantly increases the risk of persistent energy poverty.
Improving the energy efficiency of buildings is one of the most effective strategies to combat energy poverty. Direct financial support for renovation (e.g. through the Social Climate Fund) is recommended, as is counseling for households on how to be energy efficient.