Brussels, 19/05/2004 (Agence Europe) - Contrary to our announcement last week (yesterday's EUROPE, p.13), the European Commission has postponed until next week the adoption of its communication which takes stock of the share of renewable energies in national and Community energy consumption.
Energy Commissioner Loyola de Palacio considered the current text, that is to present the European Union's stance at the Bonn Conference on Renewable Energies in June, does "not sufficiently highlight the most important elements" such as the need to increase, in parallel to increased production of renewable energies, the production capacity of other energy sources in order to face up to rising energy consumption, it was explained to EUROPE by Gilles Gantelet, Ms de Palacio's spokesperson. The Commissioner is also hoping for clearer and more detailed explanations on the (negative) results set out in the communication as well as on financing problems. Postponing adoption has nothing to do with the different views expressed by a number of Commissioners on the lack of targets for the share that most renewable energies should have in Community energy consumption after 2010, Mr Gantelet said (see above-mentioned bulletin).