The development of the Belgian national and regional ESCO and EPC market is driven by the European climate policy and objectives, in particular the 20-20-20 targets.

Key EU directives that drive the development of energy efficiency in general and energy services in particular are the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), the Energy Services Directive (ESD) and the more recent Energy Efficiency Directive (EED).

On a more detailed level, the National Energy Efficiency Action Plan (NEAAP) and Regional Energy Efficiency Action Plan (REEAP) in Brussels, Flanders and Wallonia create an implementing framework that allows for more growth in the national and regional ESCO and EPC market and remove barriers for its succesful development.

Whereas the ESD created a general framework supporting energy services and ESCO development, the EED in particular has set new targets and created initiatives to stimulate an accelerated growth driven by Europe, based on evidence that EPC is a key tool to reach the European climate and energy transition objectives.

The ESCO model has proven to be not only a powerful delivery mechanism for energy efficiency, but also provides the much needed leverage and risk allocation tool to make Third Party Financing really possible.

The creation of public ESCOs by the federal and Flemish regional authorities and network distribution companies, as well as the creation of a national public competence center (Knowledgecenter), has been part of policy implementation measures under the ESD.