Brussels, 09/03/2006 (Agence Europe) - Reactions to the Commission's Green Paper on energy are contradictory (EUROPE 9147). UNICE (European Employers organisation) called for “total support” for the strategy. In a press release UNICE president Ernest-Antoine Sellière underlined that, “We can no longer afford the luxury of 25 energy policies without reference to a shared strategy. The institutions have to get organised for adopting an integrated approach”. The president of Eurochambres (the Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry), Pierre Simon said that the document was a “good basis for the future” but “more attention is needed with regard to demand…particularly demand from SMEs…which should be involved more in policy development and implementation”. The European Council for the Chemical industry (CEFIC) called for “swift action”. Peter Claes the president of the CEFIC energy committee stressed that, “for so intensive an energy sector as the chemical industry, it is vital that we have access to safe and affordable sources of energy. This initiative will contribute to accelerating the liberalisation of the energy markets and stimulate competitiveness”. The European Insulation Manufacturers' Association (EURIMA) welcomed the fact that the Commission emphasises the crucial role of energy efficiency but its Director General Horst Biedermann warned that “it is time to move from words to action. And action must include the exploitation of (economy of energy) potential in buildings”. The European Confederation of Trade Unions (ETUC) Secretary General John Monks affirmed that “it is fundamentally important to ensure the right of access to the energy service for all, and this implies the existence of a European public service. He did call, however, for “the reinforcement of public control and democracy in the energy sector”. However, the ETUC General Secretary deplores the fact that “it does not take account of the social dimension of energy policy, which is at odds with the fundamental objectives of the constitutional treaty. Agreement on the various measures to be proposed will depend largely upon account being taken of the positive and negative social impacts in terms of prices and access to the energy service as well as jobs”. The European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) said that “Europe's energy policy risks being privatised and left in the hands of a limited number of very powerful energy companies”. Jan Willem Goudriaan Secretary General underlined the fact that, “the Commission had an opportunity to redress the balance in favour of democratic control and social objectives and flunked it…We can have little confidence in EU energy policy that does not strengthen public service obligations nor foresees a direct role for workers and citizens”.