Commission Decision 2017/175 on establishing EU Ecolabel criteria for tourist accommodation

The Commission Decision 2017/175 establishes the EU Ecolabel criteria for tourist accommodations. It builds on Regulation no 66/2010 instituting the Ecolabel to define the rules under which a tourist accommodation can acquire the EU Ecolabel certification. The Decision aims at promoting the use of renewable energy sources, saving energy and water, reducing waste and improving the local environment. A number of efforts with regards to renewable energy supply and demand enable an accommodation to gain points in order to gain the certification. For example, criterion 40 related to heating energy mentions that 1) at least 70 % of the total energy used to heat or cool the rooms (1,5 points) and/or to heat sanitary water (1 point) shall come from renewable energy sources as defined in Article 2(a) of Directive 2009/28/EC, and 2) 100 % of the total energy used to heat or cool the rooms (2 points) and/or to heat sanitary water (1,5 points) shall come from renewable energy sources as defined in Article 2(a) of Directive 2009/28/EC. Criterions 12, 38, 39 and 41 also involve renewable energy.