1. Legislative and regulatory context

The last ten years have seen a growing commitment on the part of developed countries, and the European Union in particular, to define a new energy policy, following on from a period of widespread availability and low costs, when resource-saving and environmental protection objectives were not yet the main policy drivers.

At the beginning of 2007, the European Union presented a new energy policy, with the aim of moving decisively towards a low-consumption economy and safer, more competitive and more sustainable energy. Member States took a further step forward on the issue of energy consumption and sustainability by adopting a first "energy-climate" package in 2008 . This action plan...