Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have voted to reduce energy use by 40% by 2030.

Each EU nation will have to set its own corresponding national energy efficiency targets that are needed to reach the overall goal.

They would cover all stages of the energy chain, including generation, transmission, distribution and end use.

In a separate vote, MEPs also agreed a minimum of 35% of all energy consumed in the EU would need to come from renewable sources.

For the transport sector, at least 12% of energy used in each member state would have to be produced from green energy.

MEPs have amended the legislative proposals to ensure consumers who self-generate are entitled to use it and install storage systems without having to pay any charges, fees or taxes – they are calling on national governments to assess existing barriers to consumers’ generation their own energy.

The two resolutions will be voted on by the full Parliament in January.