Brussels, 12/11/2010 (Agence Europe) - Unveiled on 10 November, the European Commission's new energy strategy gave rise to mixed reactions at the Parliament and among lobbyists.
At the European Parliament, Claude Turmes (Greens) considered the strategy “biased and disappointing”. The Luxembourg MEP criticised the “vague, overdue” proposals on energy efficiency, which, he said, set no binding targets. He also criticised those on renewables - a source of energy that Turmes feels has been “ignored” by the European Commission's strategy. Yannick Jadot also took the view that the course of action set out by the Commission would not allow the 20% energy saving target to be met in 2020. The French Green member feared that the EU's needs in infrastructure, which are the subject of a new communication due next week, were defined on “fantasy predictions on the rise in demand”. Finally, the Greens denounced the fact that the Energy 2020 strategy was “pro-nuclear”. “Rather than implementing the energy revolution that Europe needs, the Commission prefers to serve the interests of a number of large energy oligopolies”, Jadot deplored.
Speaking on behalf of the S&D, Marita Ulvskog welcomed the strategy proposed but denounced failings with regard to energy efficiency, consumers' rights and energy poverty. The Swedish MEP regretted the lack of binding targets on energy performance and the lack of coordinated measures for consumers.
Speaking on behalf of the ECR, Giles Chichester welcomed a strategy which, in his view, fixed “noble priorities for energy efficiency, new infrastructure and new technologies”, in the medium term. The British MEP nonetheless said: “It is not clear where much of the funding will come from, or how investment will be prioritised”. (E.H./transl.jl)