During tonight's debate in the European Parliament on the Gróbarczyk Report, GUE/NGL MEPs called for an alternative approach to the Energy Union that puts public interests before private profits.

GUE/NGL Coordinator on the Parliament's Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, Neoklis Sylikiotis, told the plenary: "We have a real responsibility in the European Parliament to come up with proposals that will help people's lives."

"We need to address energy poverty and we need to guarantee energy as a public good to which everyone has equal access. To achieve that, we must make sure that energy remains outside the TTIP agreement. The sovereign rights of states should not be infringed in this area.

"It is also important that we address energy isolation. This can only be done through interconnection and investment in infrastructure.

"There should also be a specific reference in the report to the natural gas resources in the Eastern Mediterranean. If we deal with those important deposits it would help countries in Southern and Eastern Europe that are currently experiencing many problems," added Sylikiotis.

German MEP, Cornelia Ernst, also commented: "We support long-term EU goals to combat climate change and to push for increases in renewable energy which should be binding at national, regional and EU levels."

"How far are we really getting in all these discussions (...) if meanwhile in Spain solar power is not receiving subsidies and the procurement system in Germany means that no smaller companies are allowed into the market anymore?"

"There should be space for both big and small players to increase the adoption of renewables amongst the population," Ernst concluded.

GUE/NGL Press Contact:

Nikki Sullings  +32 22 83 27 60 / +32 483 03 55 75

Gay Kavanagh +32 473 84 23 20

European United Left / Nordic Green Left

European Parliamentary Group

www.guengl.eu