In short: The EU is not banning your existing gas or oil boiler. The recast Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD, Directive (EU) 2024/1275) does three things that matter for households: since 1 January 2025 EU countries may no longer subsidise stand-alone fossil-fuel boilers; countries must set out how they will phase out fossil-fuel boilers, with 2040 as the reference year; and all new buildings must be zero-emission from 2030. Repairing and running the boiler you have remains allowed everywhere in the EU. What changes for you depends on how your own country has written these rules into national law.
Last reviewed: October 2026. Based on the text of Directive (EU) 2024/1275 on EUR-Lex and information from the European Commission. National rules differ and change often; check your national energy agency for the rules in your country.
What the EPBD is and when it applies
The EPBD is the EU's main law on the energy use of buildings. The recast version was published in May 2024 and entered into force on 28 May 2024. As a directive, it does not apply to citizens directly: each EU country had until 29 May 2026 to transpose most of it into national law. That is why the practical rules in, say, Austria, Italy or Poland are not identical, even though they come from the same EU text.
The directive sets a long-term goal of a zero-emission building stock by 2050. For homes, countries must cut the average primary energy use of their residential buildings by at least 16 % by 2030 and by 20 to 22 % by 2035, compared with 2020. How they get there, through renovation programmes, subsidies or standards, is largely up to them.
The three rules that affect heating
| Rule | From | What it means for a household |
|---|---|---|
| No financial incentives for stand-alone fossil-fuel boilers | 1 January 2025 | Public grants or subsidies for installing a new gas or oil boiler on its own are no longer allowed. Hybrid systems with a significant share of renewable energy, such as a boiler combined with a heat pump or solar thermal, can still be supported. |
| Phase-out of fossil-fuel boilers | Plans in national renovation plans; reference year 2040 | Countries must take measures to phase out fossil-fuel boilers in heating and cooling, aiming for 2040. This is a direction of travel, not an EU-wide ban date for existing boilers. |
| Zero-emission new buildings | 2028 for public buildings, 2030 for all new buildings | New buildings may not cause on-site carbon emissions from fossil fuels. This affects new builds, not the boiler in your current home. |
Can I still repair my boiler?
Yes. No EU rule prohibits repairing or operating an existing gas or oil boiler. Replacing a fan, a pump, a circuit board or a heat exchanger keeps an existing appliance running; it is not the installation of a new heating system. Whether a new fossil boiler can still be installed, and under which conditions, is decided nationally. Some countries already restrict new oil boilers or require a share of renewable heat when the heating system is replaced; others do not.
What has changed is the economics. Without subsidies for new stand-alone fossil boilers, and with a carbon price on heating fuels coming through the EU's second emissions trading system from 2028 (see ETS2 and heating costs), many households are weighing whether to repair now and switch to a heat pump later. That decision is covered in Repair or replace: the EU right to repair and in our guide Repair or replace your boiler.
Ecodesign and energy labels: what new boilers must meet
Separate from the EPBD, two EU regulations set minimum standards for the heaters sold in the EU:
- Ecodesign Regulation (EU) No 813/2013 sets minimum seasonal efficiency and emission limits for space and combination heaters. Since September 2015 it has in practice meant that new gas boilers for central heating in homes are condensing boilers.
- Energy Labelling Regulation (EU) No 811/2013 requires the familiar energy label on boilers, heat pumps and combination heaters, so you can compare seasonal efficiency.
The Commission has been reviewing both regulations for some time. Until a revised text is published in the Official Journal, the current rules apply; check the status before you rely on reported future dates. For spare parts, Ecodesign rules matter less: a part for an existing appliance is not a new appliance.
What this means in practice
- Your boiler works: keep it serviced and repair it when parts fail. Nothing in EU law forces you to replace it.
- Your boiler is old and you plan to replace it: find out what your country supports. Grants now go to heat pumps, hybrid systems, district heating and similar systems, not to a like-for-like fossil boiler.
- You want to switch to a heat pump: check whether your radiators are suitable (see Heat pump with radiators) and which refrigerant rules apply to new units (see F-gas rules for heat pumps and air conditioning).
Instalpunt does not arrange subsidies and does not install systems. We supply spare parts and products; your installer plans and fits a new system. Parts for common boiler brands are in our spare parts catalogue, for example circulation pumps, circuit boards and fans, or by brand: Vaillant, Bosch, Viessmann and more brands.
Frequently asked questions
Is the EU banning gas boilers?
Not existing ones. The EPBD asks EU countries to phase out fossil-fuel boilers with 2040 as the reference year and has ended subsidies for stand-alone fossil boilers since 2025. Existing boilers may be operated and repaired. Rules for installing new boilers are set nationally.
Can I get a grant for a new gas boiler?
Not for a stand-alone fossil-fuel boiler: since 1 January 2025 EU countries may no longer provide financial incentives for these. Hybrid systems with a significant share of renewable energy can still be supported, depending on the country.
When does the EPBD apply in my country?
EU countries had to transpose most of the directive into national law by 29 May 2026. Some parts have later deadlines. The exact national rules depend on your country's implementing law.
Do I have to replace my boiler when I sell or rent out my home?
Not under EU law. The EPBD sets targets for the building stock and minimum standards for non-residential buildings, but it does not require you to replace a working boiler at sale or rental. National rules may differ.
Are repairs affected by Ecodesign rules?
No. Ecodesign rules apply to new appliances placed on the market. Replacing a part in an existing boiler is a repair, not the sale of a new boiler.
Sources
- Directive (EU) 2024/1275 on the energy performance of buildings (recast), EUR-Lex: eur-lex.europa.eu
- European Commission, Energy performance of buildings directive: energy.ec.europa.eu
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 813/2013 (Ecodesign, space and combination heaters): eur-lex.europa.eu
- Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 811/2013 (energy labelling of heaters): eur-lex.europa.eu