Brussels, 14/03/2014 (Agence Europe) - France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom wrote to European Commissioner for Competition Joaquin Almunia on Friday 14 March, expressing concern about the draft guidelines on state aid for the environment and energy which were unveiled by the European Commission in December and are due to be formally adopted in June (see EUROPE 10987).
Philippe Martin, French ecology, sustainable development and energy minister, Sigmar Gabriel, German economy and energy minister, Frederica Guidi, Italian economic development minister, and Michael Fallon, British secretary of state for enterprise and energy, fear that DG Competition's “draft guidelines on environmental and energy aid put member states' plans to implement ambitious climate and energy policies and European industry at risk”. They recognise that the Commission has power over state aid, but say member states have the right to decide on their own energy mix. They argue that the exemption criteria for electricity-intensive industries would leave them exposed to international competition at risk of carbon leakage. The rules on the funding mechanism for renewable energy “are too restrictive and their application is partly premature. A one size fits all approach is not appropriate” in this case, they state. The ministers therefore recommend that the Commission reconsider the draft guidelines in the light of consultations carried out from December 2013 to February 2014. (EL)