The European Parliament shows the way forward on renewables – binding targets for each renewable energy sector demanded

Today, the European Parliament provided a clear signal on how to promote renewable energy in the EU up to 2020. At the same moment, the Commission is considering to come forward with nice words but no concrete measures to support the rhetoric, according to a leaked draft of the Renewable Energy Roadmap scheduled for January 2007.

The European Parliament 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.

At the same time the European Commission is preparing its proposal for a roadmap that will effectively change the existing, successful sectoral approach to renewables legislation, by proposing vague measures and ambiguous commitments. By omitting sectoral targets in its draft Roadmap, the Commission is providing cynical window dressing, according to the European Renewable Energy Council (EREC).

“The Parliament’s vote today is a historic opportunity for the Commission to listen to European citizens’ demands for more renewable energy. Together with the Parliament they could show leadership by proposing binding targets and legislation for all three sectors: electricity, heating and biofuels. The draft Roadmap, as it stands, would undermine existing law, create a legislative vacuum for many years to come and fire up widespread investor uncertainty. The Commission should focus on creating the missing link in EU renewables legislation – heating and cooling – rather than undermining existing legislation for electricity and biofuels,” said EREC policy director Oliver Schäfer

“An overwhelming majority of 479 representatives of European citizens voted in favour of sectoral targets for renewable energy and only 16 parliamentarians voted against. We urge the European Commission to team up with the Parliament, acknowledge its visionary approach and put Europe on the road to a truly sustainable energy future in its upcoming proposal for a Renewable Energy Roadmap. The Parliament’s call will hopefully not be overheard by President Barroso” Schäfer added.

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. The EU should continue its successful approach of specific sectoral targets to avoid putting existing frameworks under threat and creating widespread investor uncertainty.