Brussels, 09/09/2011 (Agence Europe) - The Bureau of the European People's Party (EPP), meeting in Wroc³aw (Poland) on 8-9 September, again underlined the central position occupied by energy policy in its priorities. The leaders of the conservative party in the European Parliament (EP) hailed the strategy proposed by the European Commission on 7 September to strengthen the international position of the European Union in the area of energy and to ensure that the EU will speak with one voice to producer countries.
A more coherent energy policy would also provide fresh impetus, the conservatives believe, to completing energy market integration. Speaking for the EPP Group, Alejo Vidal-Quadras called for political decision-makers to show greater leadership to make this happen, for example, through the interconnection of national networks. “The problem is that member states have been acting more and more according to national interest, moving away from a comprehensive European vision. There are still some political barriers to overcome in order for national achievements to become real European successes. If we do not start interconnecting our grids and adapting them to the changes in our energy mixes, the future of energy looks bleak”, the Spanish MEP said.
He also saw energy efficiency as one of the keys to European companies' competitiveness. “Energy efficiency is essential to reducing production costs for our companies and we are far from reaching our 2020 efficiency goal”, he noted on Friday. He urged political decision-makers, therefore, to act courageously, defending a long-term vision and, if necessary, taking unpopular decisions in these times of austerity. “We need to be coherent and not succumb to electoral pressure”, he went on, criticising the decision, taken by German authorities in the aftermath of the serious accident at the Fukushima nuclear power station in Japan, to end electricity generation by means of nuclear power plants by 2020. A supporter of nuclear power, Vidal-Quadras said that such a decision was based on unfounded fears and would have a high price. (E.H./transl.rt)