Strasbourg, 10/06/2015 (Agence Europe) - In Strasbourg on Wednesday 10 June, the European Parliament rejected by a slender majority (315 to 277 with 111 abstentions) a report by Algirdas Saudargas (EPP, Lithuania) on the EU's energy security strategy that was unveiled by the European Commission in May 2014.
“After today's plenary vote we can only regret that there is not enough political will to have an EU energy security strategy. That also shows that the way to create an Energy Union will be long and difficult,” lamented rapporteur Algirdas Saudargas.
On Wednesday, the various political groups were unable to agree on the draft resolution adopted in early May by the EP's industry and energy committee. ALDE and S&D voted for the resolution but Saudargas won the backing of only 42 MEPs from his own group because 166 of the 208 EPP MEPs voted against his report (73 of them) or abstained (93 of them).
According to a close source, adoption of the first amendment lodged by the S&D, Greens/EFA and EFDD calling for a moratorium on the use of shale gas in Europe was one of the reasons why most of the EPP voted against the Saudargas report, but it was not the only reason. A large number of the EPP MEPs did not back the reaffirmation of the EP's negotiating position calling for binding targets for a) CO2 emissions reduction targets for 2030, b) the proportion of the EU's energy sources to come from renewable energy and c) boosting energy efficiency.
The ECR group voted against the report because it says it went too far and had shortcomings in terms of subsidiarity. The Greens/EFA and EFDD say the Saudargas report was over-focused on fossil fuels and nuclear power. Despite the adoption of their amendment on a moratorium on shale gas, the ecologists voted against the Saudargas report after the rejection of their amendment to scrap public aid for nuclear power.
In the short-term, the EU's energy security strategy aims to boost the EU's resilience. It is currently dependent on imported energy for 53% of energy supplies and therefore vulnerable to external shocks and breakdowns in supply. In the long-term, the strategy aims to r educe dependence on specific fuels, suppliers and supply routes. It includes measures to boost energy efficiency and domestic production, diversify supply routes and build the lacking infrastructure. It recommends that the EU 'speak with one voice' in the international arena and that it consolidate its emergency and solidarity mechanisms (see EUROPE 11090). (Emmanuel Hagry)