Brussels, 03/02/2011 (Agence Europe) - The European Council of 4 February devoted to energy and the security of supply has raised great expectations at the Parliament, from all political groups.
Among the Conservatives, Jacek Saryusz-Wolski described it as vital for the EU leaders to “move from words to action”. “We need concrete energy security, not just words, we need to wake up”, stressed the Polish MEP. “If something critical happens in geopolitical terms in Northern Africa or the Middle East (…), we are not prepared. Oil is costing $100 a barrel again. If the Suez Canal will be blocked in the worst case scenario, how prepared are we? We are not prepared for the next energy crisis”, said Saryusz-Wolski.
Over at the S&D Group, hopes were voiced that the European Council will “show ambition”. At an alternative summit on Tuesday with the Belgian Energy Minister Paul Magnette, the Swedish and German former environment ministers, Lena Sommestad and Sigmar Gabriel, and the American economist Jeremy Rifkin - a proponent of the “third industrial revolution” (EUROPE 10306), the Socialists & Democrats called on the European leaders to “be courageous and give the necessary political impulse to EU's energy policy”. “The European Council must demonstrate its willingness to defend the common European interest in energy policy. If it fails to do so, energy will become an ever greater risk for Europe's future prosperity, jobs and the environment”. The delay “in the three-time 20% objectives for 2020 shows that the EU needs be more ambitious” in creating policies, insisted Germany's Martin Schulz. Sigmar Gabriel suggested reducing energy costs, which stand at 40%, and not the working costs (20%), the benefit of the environment and job creation.
The Liberals expect “ambitious and audacious decisions to put the energy future of the EU on a sustainable footing”. In the view of Lena Ek, “the time has come to relaunch a sustainable European energy system, by increasing R&D and offering great incentives, to allow us to make the EU a greener competitive economy where the green jobs of tomorrow will be created”, the Swedish MEP added. Fiona Hall (UK) stressed the need for binding the energy savings objective.
Speaking through Portugal's Marisa Matias, the GUE/NGL spoke in favour of abandoning “obsolete” energy policies and public-private partnerships, and called for more ambition for innovative energy.
Last week, the Greens called for “immediate action” (EUROPE 10303). (E.H./transl.fl)