"Decisions which have far-reaching effects on energy prices in the European Union must be approved by the whole Parliament. A narrow committee vote is, in this case, not a sufficient mandate to start negotiations with the co-legislator", stressed Richard Seeber MEP and Eija-Riitta Korhola MEP. Parliament's Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) has agreed to first seek a plenary vote on the planned changes to the European CO2 Emissions Trading Scheme. Richard Seeber, EPP Group Co-Coordinator in the ENVI Committee, and Eija-Riitta Korhola, the EPP Group's negotiator of the legislative proposal, have welcomed this step.

Mr Seeber stressed the need for transparency: "The proposal to reduce the quantity of CO2 emission rights inevitably leads to a rise in energy prices. We think it is the wrong proposal at the wrong moment. We want all Members of the European Parliament to be accountable for such a decision which affects both citizens and industries."

Mrs Korhola wants the decision of the Parliament to be unambiguous: "As we saw that two committees clearly had different lines on this issue, it would have been questionable to go into first reading negotiations with a weak mandate."

Parliament's Industry, Research and Energy Committee voted against the legislative proposal in January, while the ENVI Committee was in favour of the proposal last week.

For further information:
Richard SEEBER MEP, Tel: +32-2-2849468
Eija-Riitta KORHOLA MEP, Tel: +32-2-2849472
Daniel Köster, EPP Group Press and Communications Service, Tel: +32-487-384784

Notes to Editors:
The EPP Group is by far the largest political group in the European Parliament with 270 Members and 3 Croatian Observer Members.