The Ministry of Climate has emphasized the goal of future-proofing infrastructure, with compliance costs for large shopping centers estimated at up to two billion euros.

Back in 2022, the Riigikogu's European Union Affairs Committee approved Estonia's position on the EU's Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, without raising a single question about the potentially extremely costly requirement to install electric vehicle charging infrastructure in store parking lots.

Meanwhile, the final version of the directive is considerably more lenient in this area than the provisions approved by the Riigikogu committee.

Social Democratic Party (SDE) MP Raimond Kaljulaid told ERR that, as far as he can recall, no one raised the issue of installing electric vehicle charging infrastructure in store parking lots during the committee's discussion of the directive.

"If the minutes don't reflect it either, then it likely wasn't brought up in the committee," he said.

Kaljulaid added that in recent years, the EU committee has in several cases failed to delve deeply enough into the substance of decisions, and even when it has, for instance on climate policy and the extensive "Fit for 55" package, there were countless different impacts, including negative ones, on the economy and consumers.

"Then to meet the EU's climate targets, they were agreed to in Estonia. That's how it has been," Kaljulaid added.

Kaljulaid stated that the Riigikogu often lacked clarity on the impacts of EU decisions on Estonia, with questionable quality in the analysis of draft laws' effects.

Meanwhile Timo Suslov, Secretary General of the Reform Party – an MP at the time; the party also supported the directive within the committee framework, was unable to say whether or how the issue of charging infrastructure in shopping centers was discussed in the committee at the time.

"I can't comment on that, I don't even remember anymore what the context was or what was discussed," he said.

Suslov said he believes the committee members thoroughly reviewed the directive and feels that every Riigikogu member shares responsibility for Estonia's commitments under it.

Suslov suggested that the issue may not have seemed important at the time, but should now be calmly re-evaluated if necessary.

Meanwhile, SDE MP Riina Sikkut also said that the issue of charging infrastructure in shopping center parking lots does not sound familiar to her, in the context of the directive discussions, which she took part in.

Ministry: Final version of the directive was more lenient than original

ERR asked Ivo Jaanisoo, deputy secretary general at the ministry, about the cost impact of a directive requiring cabling for parking spaces, while Ministry of Climate spokesperson Kadri Laube explained that Estonia's positions were approved by the government and represented by various officials, including Jaanisoo, in negotiations.

"A total of 77 interest groups were involved in the preparation of Estonia's positions," Laube added.

The deadline for transposing the EU directive into domestic law is May of next year, with ongoing discussions between the European Commission and member states; Laube acknowledged the directive did not anticipate rapid technological advancements or the impact of the war and energy crisis, which accelerated the need to adopt electric vehicles.

The Ministry of Climate also stated the requirement was aimed at future-proofing infrastructure for electric vehicles, and the final approved version of the directive softened the original requirement, offering a choice between installing charging points or cable ducts for future charging points, with Estonia planning to apply all possible exemptions, pushing for a compromise to avoid administrative burden and cost increases.

Other compromises were made, including exceptions for high costs and deferring the requirement, and the ministry has met with the Estonian Traders Association (Eesti Kaupmeeste Liit) to address concerns and provide feedback to the European Commission.

The updated EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive requires non-residential buildings with over 20 parking spaces to have charging points or wiring infrastructure by 2027, with compliance costs for large shopping center parking lots estimated between half a billion and two billion euros, according to the traders association.

The European Union Affairs Committee discussed the EU's directive on building energy performance on April 8, 2022, with Jaanisoo presenting the proposal under then-economic affairs minister Taavi Aas' leadership. The committee, led by Aas and the Reform and Center parties, supported Estonia's position with a 7-3 vote, including the requirement for electric vehicle charging infrastructure in new buildings and major renovations, but no further details were discussed.
The minutes did not mention the requirement for existing buildings, like shopping centers, to install charging points by 2027, which was later postponed by two years.

Those who voted in favor of the government's presented positions were Enn Eesmaa (now independent, then of the Center Party), Siim Kallas (Reform), Siret Kotka (Center), Sulev Kannimäe (Reform), and Urve Tiidus (Reform) as well as Sikkut and Suslov.

Opposed were Kalle Grünthal (now independent, then EKRE), Ruuben Kaalep (EKRE) and Tarmo Kruusimäe (Isamaa).

Of these, Kallas, Kotka, Kannimäe, Kaalep and Kruusimäe are not current Riigikogu MPs.

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