08/06/2004 (Agence Europe) - Ahead of Thursday's Energy Council, two MEPs have sent out an appeal to Ministers to approve, with as few changes as possible, the Commission's proposal on eco-design requirements applicable to energy-consuming products (see above). In a press release, the Luxembourg Green Claude Turmes, EP rapporteur on the issue, and German Christian Democrat Peter Liese stress that in an open letter to the Irish Presidency, they stressed the scale of potential savings from putting an end to wasting energy, such as leaving television sets, stereos and other appliances on standby, for instance. In Germany alone, as much energy could be saved as Berlin uses, notes the press release. Peter Liese notes: it is all very well having discussed substitute and renewable energy in the world conference last week in Bonn, but what, friends, are we doing about the waste of energy? If it was up to the Parliament, the directive would already have been adopted, he said, underlining the Council's responsibility.