Brussels, 26/03/2013 (Agence Europe) - The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) recommends active participation by civil society in a European Energy Dialogue.
In an opinion drafted by Richard Adams (United Kingdom, Various Interests Group) at the request of the Commission and submitted to Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger during the EESC plenary session on 21 March, the EESC calls for debate on EU energy policy to be not only coordinated at several different levels but also action-oriented within and across EU countries. That European dialogue should ensure citizens have reliable information on energy policy and be able to tackle concrete issues in a language that is accessible to the public as a whole, explaining compromises between the various issues at stake and allowing preferences to be expressed. The negotiation space thus provided would allow political choices to be discussed against a backdrop of societal impact and acceptance, investments and resource strategy.
“Greater awareness and understanding of energy issues will lead to greater political confidence in citizen support for the difficult task of long-term decision-making”, Adams stresses, while Commissioner Oettinger concurs that “increasing Europeanisation of energy policy makes it necessary for us to step up involvement of European citizens”. The EESC is willing to take the lead in this new dialogue that would be set in place at national level, as well as regional and local levels, with the support of the Commission and the participation of all stakeholders in the energy sector and civil society. The EESC hopes to develop alliances with all interested parties. To this end, a first conference is scheduled in France on 14 May this year. (EH/transl.jl)