Brussels, 12/03/2010 (Agence Europe) - In a joint resolution from the S&D, ALDE and Greens/EFA groups, approved in plenary session in Strasbourg on Thursday 11 March by 444 votes to 88, with 32 abstentions, the European Parliament welcomes the plan, proposed by the European Commission in October 2009 (see EUROPE 9993) to finance the strategy for developing clean, sustainable energy technologies (SET-Plan) to help achieve the EU's climate targets by 2020. MEPs, however, call for more public and private investment, and fresh EU money, to speed up their development, cost-effective roll-out and application over the next 10 years. They acknowledge that additional private, public and EU resources will be needed if it is to hit its target and call for additional funding to be made available from the EU budget. MEPs say that to fund the work properly would require an annual EU budget contribution of at least €2 billion. In this context, they call on the Commission and member states urgently to set a funding timetable for the resources they will commit in order to ensure that monies will begin to be paid in 2010. The Council and Commission are also asked to make good use of discussions on the mid-term review of current and future financial perspectives to adapt EU budgets to policy priorities. Parliament considers it “absolutely necessary” to use €300 million in Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) reserves to support carbon capture and storage and innovative renewable energy sources. The EIB is asked to consider with adequate priority those projects that will realistically enhance the viability of sustainable low carbon technology demonstration, such as the development of smart grids and mini hydro facilities. Parliament stresses, too, that the capacity of the EU research base needs to be enlarged and that further education and training is essential to provide the quantity and quality of human resources required to take full advantage of the new technology opportunities opening. The Commission should create the right conditions and a favourable regulatory framework for public-private partnerships and also ensure that clean technology manufacturers can apply directly for SET-Plan funding. Since SMEs are a key driver of the development of various clean, sustainable energy technologies, there must be SME-friendly access to public grants and loans. (E.H./transl.rt)