L-R: Camille Gira, President of EEA and Secretary of State for Sustainable Development and Infrastructure; Walter Steinmann, former Director of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy; Credit: myenergy

At its general assembly held on 20 November 2017, the association European Energy Award elected Camille Gira as its new president.

The European Energy Award (EEA) is an organisation accompanying European municipalities engaged in climate protection. More than 200 communal representatives from all over Europe came to this year’s general assembly, organised in collaboration with myenergy, to discuss climate and energy policies. The circular economy, air quality and the participation of the population and companies were the three subjects chosen to be dealt with in greater depth this year, through various workshops and thematic visits.

The mission of the association EEA, which includes eight countries (Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Switzerland and Luxembourg), is to guide municipalities to help them better to structure the measures taken at the level of climate protection, but also to certify their efforts in this area.

Newly-elected president Camille Gira, who succeeds former director of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) Walter Steinmann, made clear his intention to continue and implement the commitments on climate protection at European level whilst strengthening links with the European Commission's programmes, such as the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy

In addition, under Gira, the association has confirmed its desire to continue developing the EEA as an innovative support tool for municipalities. Currently used by about 1,500 municipalities, the EEA tool enables municipalities and local authorities to steer their energy transition strategy through a global approach according to their means and ambitions. Like other European countries, the Grand Duchy uses the EEA tool as a working basis for the operation of the "Climate Pact".