diff --git a/scripts/build_retro_cost.py b/scripts/build_retro_cost.py
index af44c91a..fdfb8773 100644
--- a/scripts/build_retro_cost.py
+++ b/scripts/build_retro_cost.py
@@ -182,7 +182,8 @@ def prepare_building_stock_data():
 
     # add for some missing countries floor area from other data sources
     area_missing = pd.read_csv(snakemake.input.floor_area_missing,
-                               index_col=[0, 1], usecols=[0, 1, 2, 3])
+                               index_col=[0, 1], usecols=[0, 1, 2, 3],
+                               encoding='ISO-8859-1')
     area_tot = area_tot.append(area_missing.unstack(level=-1).dropna().stack())
     area_tot = area_tot.loc[~area_tot.index.duplicated(keep='last')]
 
diff --git a/scripts/prepare_sector_network.py b/scripts/prepare_sector_network.py
index 0af3c4b2..72c2be22 100644
--- a/scripts/prepare_sector_network.py
+++ b/scripts/prepare_sector_network.py
@@ -6,9 +6,8 @@ import pandas as pd
 idx = pd.IndexSlice
 
 import numpy as np
-import scipy as sp
 import xarray as xr
-import re, os
+import re, os, sys
 
 from six import iteritems, string_types