Brussels, 22/06/2005 (Agence Europe) - Faced with the constant increase in oil prices and the prospect of being dependent on imports to cover 70% of its energy needs (particularly in hydrocarbons) by 2030, the EU is to start a serious debate on ways of saving energy: for this reason, the Commission has adopted its long-anticipated Green Paper on energy efficiency, entitled "Doing More with Less", which lists a number of options which would lead to a viable reduction in energy use of 20% by 2020, by changing the behaviour of consumers and by using highly energy-efficient technologies. "By making these energy savings in all sectors, the EU's energy bill would drop by about 60 billion EUR, which would allow investments be made in the European economic or industrial sectors to reinforce its position as a leader", Commissioner for Energy Andris Piebalgs explained to the press, adding: furthermore, "this initiative will help Europe to achieve two fundamental objectives: creating more growth and more jobs", as it could help to create almost a million new jobs. "This initiative will help Europe to keep its Kyoto commitments", Mr Piebalgs noted.
In order to resolve the problem of excessive energy consumption, it is not enough to work on security of supply (the supply plank), but we also need to concentrate on demand, said Mr Piebalgs, who feels that "the EU must explore all the possible avenues to reach the objective of 20% savings by 2020". Energy efficiency must also be a global concern, as it is closely linked to the challenge of climate change. For this reason, Mr Piebalgs calls for action to be taken at international level: the EU must reinforce its dialogue with the supplying countries (OPEC, Russia and Eastern Europe, the euro-Mediterranean area), but it must also step up dialogue on energy efficiency with developing countries, particularly the emerging countries. This dialogue, in view of Mr Piebalgs, must "be part of the development aid package".
With its Green Paper, the Commission proposes to reverse the trend of ever-increasing energy consumption (which could increase by 10% over the next 15 years if nothing is done), and explains how the target of 20% of energy saved by 2020 can be achieved: 1) half of this objective could be achieved by fully transposing and implementing of the legislation which has already been adopted (or which is soon to be adopted) in the Member States, on the energy efficiency of buildings, eco-design and the energy efficiency of domestic appliances or energy services; 2) Europe could achieve the other half of the targeted savings "by being imaginative and proactive", and by using new measures: annual National action plans on energy efficiency, better awareness among the citizens, the use of public procurement to help to get new technologies off the ground, using State aid in a more targeted way, improving the pricing and taxing of energy so that the polluter genuinely pays, developing agreements on car consumption and energy efficiency certificates, but also extending the scope of the directive on the energy efficiency of buildings, and developing new possibilities for funding.
The options listed in the Green Paper cover all sectors of economic activity- production and end use, industry and services, households, building and transport- and related to all parties, national, regional and local decision-makers, up as far as the international institutions, banks and the individual consumer. The Commission has proposed a large range of instruments: financial incentives, regulations, setting objectives, providing information, training and international dialogue. The Green Paper is the starting point for broad debate (fed into by a questionnaire including 25 proposals) with all interested parties. When the consultation process ends in 2006, the Commission will put together an action plan listing measures to be proposed. An in-depth cost/benefit analysis will be carried out. (For further information, please see http: //europa.eu.int/comm/energy/efficiency/index_fr.htm)
Before Mr Piebalgs presented the Green Paper, the MEPs representing the five main political groups of the European Parliament, German social Democrat Mechtild Rothe, Anders Wijkman of Sweden (EPP), Fiona Hall of the United Kingdom (ALDE) and Roberto Guidoni of Italy (GUE), meeting by initiative of Luxembourg Green Claude Turmes, held a joint press conference in which they appealed for the close involvement of the citizens in the debate on energy efficiency, whilst promoting an obligatory target for energy savings of 23% by 2020. EUROPE will come back to this.