Brussels, 23/06/2005 (Agence Europe) - Prior to the presentation of the Commission's Green Paper on energy efficiency (EUROPE 8975) by Commissioner Andris Piebalgs, MEPs from five political groups, German Social Democrat Mechtild Rothe, Anders Wijkman (EPP), Fiona Hall (ALDE, UK) and Roberto Guidoni (GUE/NGL, Italy), who had joined forces by initiative of Luxembourg Green Claude Turmes, launched an appeal before the press for the citizens to get involved in the debate on energy efficiency, and proposed an obligatory target for 23% of energy savings by 2020. "Our initiative is intended to complement that of the Commission. Energy efficiency is the best and cheapest of the responses we can bring to the question of excessive energy consumption and the challenge of climate change", Mr Turmes explained. In a joint document, the MEPs stated that energy efficiency is the cornerstone of the future Community energy policy, in which the management of demand must be an essential feature. They therefore stressed the need for genuine action at all levels and greater co-operation between each of these levels, because it is "extremely important for Europe to use its enormous potential to save energy in all sectors of economic activity". The MEPs, therefore, undertake to hold meetings with members of the national parliaments to extend the debate on energy efficiency and encourage greater awareness among citizens and consumers of the need to save energy.
"In some of the Member States, efforts have been made in terms of energy efficiency, but we are not seeing any genuine coherent policy or efficient action at national level. This is why we need to set binding objectives", said Ms Rothe, referring to her report, which was recently adopted at first reading by the European Parliament (EUROPE 8967). She sent out a warning to the Member States, a few days ahead of the Energy Council of 29 June, which is to adopt a political agreement on the proposed directive on end-use energy efficiency with a view to adopting a common position (co-decision procedure): "even if this does lead to change, setting indicative targets is not enough. Setting obligatory targets will allow total commitment on the part of all Member States". Furthermore, the MEPs believe that the Commission's proposal for energy savings of 20% by 2020 is not enough, and propose an obligatory target of 23% by 2020, to be achieved by following the requirements of the Rothe report (recommending a gradual approach over three periods, to achieve energy savings of 11.5% by 2015). In the view of the MEPs, the objective of 23% is entirely realistic because the Union's potential is much higher than this, and could even exceed 30%. What is more, if this 23% target is achieved, this would allow the EU to fulfil over half of its objective to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. In order to achieve this target, "Legislation is indispensable to set a legal framework in place" which is favourable to greater energy savings, Ms Hall explained. Community legislation should therefore come on top of national and local legislation. To illustrate her point, Ms Hall referred to the example of efforts made in London to boost energy efficiency in the transport sector, which combine local, national and Community legislation. The public authorities should also show greater leadership by opting for "Green public contracts" and bringing in eco-design legislation involving greater consumer information. The MEPs feel that a proactive policy on energy efficiency would allow "the enormous potential of energy saving" to be mined, a market estimated at between five and 10 billion EUR and which could create thousands of jobs. Access to this market is very difficult for the time being, they feel, notably because projects for energy efficiency come up against many obstacles: lack of transparency of information, limited access to capital for SMEs, weaknesses in cost-efficiency analyses, fears due to the risks entailed in investing and the lack of commitment on the part of the public authorities. On the question of access to funding, the MEPs made the suggestion of a specific instrument for energy efficiency and the development of renewable energies to be set in place by the EIB. They stressed other essential factors to create a pro-active policy in this field: amongst others, the mobilisation of human resources (they feel that the Commission does not have enough of its staff employed in this field), reinforcing networks and exchanging best practices between the Member States, but also between other interested parties, and stepping up energy dialogue with the third countries, particularly the developing countries and, more specifically, the emerging countries. "We must build the right European framework in order to promote energy efficiency and to create an an enormous economic, social and environmental benefit in the short term for Europe", the MEPs concluded . Mr Wijkman added: "the Commission should therefore show greater authority in controlling energy efficiency at Community level". (The joint document is available at: : http: //greens-efa.org/pdf/documents/EnergyIntelligentEurope.pdf)