11/09/2006
Europe - EU Institutions disagree on the future road map for renewables
This week, the European Parliament provided a clear signal on how to promote renewable energy in the EU up to 2020. At the same moment, several Member States paid no more than lip service to renewable energy, failing to provide concrete measures at an informal meeting in Brussels today. The European Parliament’s ITRE Committee today responded to the European Commission’s Green Paper on sustainable, competitive and secure energy by calling for binding sectoral targets for renewables in order to achieve 25% of renewables in primary energy by 2020.
Separately, but at the same time as the vote in the Parliament, Member States expressed, once more, their commitment to renewables without recognising the need for concrete measures to reach a higher share of renewables in the EU. Many Member States expressed their concerns about continuing the current structure of EU renewable energy policy, which is based on specific targets for the three sectors: electricity, heating and transport. “At a time when rapid action and concrete policy measures are needed to address the future energy and climate challenges, some Member States suggest that voluntary agreements, vague legislation and ambiguous commitments are the way forward for renewable energy policy in Europe. The European Renewable Energy Industries do not share this view.” said EREC policy director Oliver Schäfer.
In a statement at the end of the Energy Council today, Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs said that mandatory targets are the best option to increase the share of renewable energy in Europe. “The European renewable energy industries call on the European Commission to support the European Parliament’s approach in its upcoming Renewable Energy Roadmap, anything else would threaten to dismantle the current, successful framework for renewables” Schäfer added. The EU should continue its successful approach of specific sectoral targets to avoid putting existing frameworks under threat and creating widespread investor uncertainty.
Separately, but at the same time as the vote in the Parliament, Member States expressed, once more, their commitment to renewables without recognising the need for concrete measures to reach a higher share of renewables in the EU. Many Member States expressed their concerns about continuing the current structure of EU renewable energy policy, which is based on specific targets for the three sectors: electricity, heating and transport. “At a time when rapid action and concrete policy measures are needed to address the future energy and climate challenges, some Member States suggest that voluntary agreements, vague legislation and ambiguous commitments are the way forward for renewable energy policy in Europe. The European Renewable Energy Industries do not share this view.” said EREC policy director Oliver Schäfer.
In a statement at the end of the Energy Council today, Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs said that mandatory targets are the best option to increase the share of renewable energy in Europe. “The European renewable energy industries call on the European Commission to support the European Parliament’s approach in its upcoming Renewable Energy Roadmap, anything else would threaten to dismantle the current, successful framework for renewables” Schäfer added. The EU should continue its successful approach of specific sectoral targets to avoid putting existing frameworks under threat and creating widespread investor uncertainty.
- Source:
- European Wind Energy Association
- Author:
- Edited by Trevor Sievert, Online Editorial Journalist
- Email:
- ewea@ewea.org
- Link:
- www.ewea.com/...
