Brussels, 18/05/2004 (Agence Europe) - This Wednesday, the European Commission will adopt without debate its communication on renewable energy. As we anticipated (EUROPE of 11 May, p.15), this stage report on the place of this energy in national and Community energy consumption sets out a pessimistic image as at current rates, the EU will not be able to reach the objective it set itself in 1997: to make sure that the proportion of renewable energy reaches 12% of Community energy consumption in 2010.
In light of this analysis, the Commission feels that quantified objectives should not now be set for the period after 2010. This point led to a debate, when the text was being finalised, between the Commissioners who wanted to include a figure for the post-2010 period (Margot Wallström and Michaele Schreyer), and those calling for greater caution (Joaquin Almunia, Frits Bolkestein and Poul Nielson). Lastly, whilst stressing the importance of the "20% in 2020" objective (set at the recent Berlin Conference on renewable energy and supported by the European Parliament), the Commission considered that it would be preferable to proceed to a complete assessment of the development of renewable energy within the EU before taking position on this objective. This assessment will be carried out not later than October 2005, in order to open a debate in 2007 on setting an objective in figures for the period post 2010.
In a press release, the Greens of the European Parliament criticised the absence of a quantitative objective and, in a letter to President Prodi, called for an objective of 25% for the proportion of renewable energy in Community energy consumption by 2020 to be included in the communication.