EURACTIV PR

An easy way of publishing your relevant EU press releases.

Commission energy proposals "a betrayal of Europe's interests"

Date

09 Mar 2011

Sections

Climate & Environment
Energy

European Commission proposals on energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 have been criticised by ALDE spokespersons for energy and environment.
 
Commenting on the Commission's Energy Efficiency Plan 2011 and the Roadmap for moving to a low carbon economy in 2050 to be adopted today, Lena Ek (Centre Party, Sweden), ALDE spokesperson on the Industry, Research and Environment Committee, said:
 
"The Commission admits that we are about to be leapfrogged by emerging economies such as China and India, which invest 48% and 35% of their GDP in the low carbon technologies and infrastructure, compared to Europe's meagre 19%. Yet the Commission is not prepared to put more ambitious proposals for our energy future on the table. The proposal for an additional investment rate of 1.5% is good, but more substantial increases are necessary.

"It is peculiar that the Commission does not propose cutting greenhouse gases by 30% by 2020 when its own calculations clearly show that is more cost effective to reduce emissions sooner, in particular by making energy savings. All the arguments are there, but they simply refuse to put the proposals forward."
 
Chris Davies (Lib Dem, UK), ALDE spokesperson on the Environment Committee added:
 
"The Commission has today demonstrated all the courage and conviction of a rabbit caught in headlights and about to be run over.

"With fuel prices rising and set to stay high energy efficiency targets should be made legally binding now. Not to insist upon this, amounts to a betrayal of Europe's interests."
 
 "Short term concerns have been put before the needs of our long term future.  European development has been condemned to stay in the slow lane, certain to be overtaken by the fast lane Asian economies.
 
"By opting for complacency and delay we could hardly have been let down more if the Commissioners were acting on behalf of the Chinese Government."
 

Ends

For more information, please contact / Pour de plus amples informations, veuillez contacter:
Corlett Neil - Tel:+32 2 284 20 77 Mob:+32 478 78 22 84
Schneider Angelika - Tel:+32 2 2 284 10 19 Mob:+44 7950 184 194
Web: http://www.alde.eu

Jobs

EPIA SolarPower Europe AISBL
Head of Energy Systems
European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA)
EUDA traineeship programme 2025
European Partnership for Democracy
Programme Assistant
MedTech Europe
Officer Market Data
Becker Büttner Held
EU Public Affairs Intern
Confederation of the European Bicycle Industry (CONEBI)
Communications and Events Internship
Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies
Financial and Administrative Assistant (m/f)
Bundessteuerberaterkammer
Referent Europarecht und Politik (m/w/d)