Romanian MEP Ioan-Rareş Bogdan (PPE) has raised concerns about the impact of the revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive on vulnerable consumers in Romania, particularly given the country's exceptionally high rate of private home ownership and risk of energy poverty. In a parliamentary question submitted on 4 June 2026, Bogdan pressed the European Commission on financing, flexibility for hybrid heating systems, and the use of biomass stoves in rural areas.
The question, addressed to the Commission, follows the entry into force of the revised directive on 30 May 2026, which sets decarbonisation objectives for the building sector by 2050. Bogdan highlighted that Romania's building stock is unique: over 95% of homes are privately owned, largely by medium- and low-income families or pensioners already at risk of energy poverty. He asked how the Commission expects Romania to raise capital for major renovations without causing a credit crunch or excluding citizens ineligible for private co-financing.
On the energy transition, Bogdan noted that shifting from natural gas heating — a strategic resource with significant recent investment, including Black Sea gas fields — to fully electrified systems puts pressure on low-voltage distribution networks requiring long-term modernisation. He asked what flexibility the Commission will allow when assessing National Plans for countries that choose hybrid systems (gas-hydrogen or gas-heat pump) beyond standard deadlines for phasing out fossil fuel boilers.
For rural areas lacking centralised infrastructure or smart electricity grids, Bogdan asked whether the Commission will agree to the use of high-efficiency biomass (wood) stoves as a solution consistent with emissions reduction targets, without penalising Member States.
The Commission is expected to reply within approximately six weeks, and its response will signal the degree of flexibility it is prepared to grant member states with specific structural challenges.