A European Eco-efficient Economy has been prepared as a background report for the 2009 Swedish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. It forms a common basis for discussions at the informal ministerial meetings of the Council dealing with energy, environment and competitiveness .

The EU has assumed ambitious targets and strategies for the promotion of renewable sources of energy (RES) binding to all its member states. This report examines the proposed EU-wide policy instrument designed to help achieve the targets on renewable electricity and heat - the trading of Guarantees of Origin