Commenting on the meeting, Greenpeace energy policy adviser Frederic Thoma said: “It’s taken a major crisis with Russia over energy imports to get European governments to start thinking seriously about efficiency again. Most ministers now recognise that efficiency is a cure for energy dependence. It’s also a winner for the climate and a major source of green jobs.

It’s a no-brainer that – with renewables – efficiency can help slash Europe’s ever-growing reliance on imports of oil, gas and coal. This much is clear for all to see, but the question is whether EU leaders are gutsy enough to stand up to the energy companies that want to keep Europe addicted to dirty energy."