Amid record-breaking temperatures, the European Commission has declined to take a stance on the increasingly contentious debate over air conditioning, saying it is not the role of the EU executive to dictate consumers' choices.
About 20% of European households have AC units installed, compared to 90% or more in the United States, Japan and South Korea.
The glaring lack of cooling systems has become a political lightning rod after a brutal heatwave killed at least 1,300 Europeans and prompted a desperate search for makeshift solutions to make daily life tolerable.
"We know most residential buildings and apartments in the European Union do not have air conditioning. It's not something that is traditionally in-built, especially given that much of our housing stock is actually quite old and aged," Anna-Kaisa Itkonen, European Commission spokesperson for climate, said on Monday.
"Whether we have a position on air conditioning, pro or contra, not really, but we do tackle this as one policy area which relates to renovation and energy efficiency of buildings and residential apartments, as well as part of our housing strategy."
