Brussels, 17/10/2006 (Agence Europe) - Ahead of Friday's informal Council in Lahti, Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen sent a document to Commission President José Manuel Barroso and to the governments of the Member States on 16 October setting out Denmark's ambitious four-point contribution on the future EU energy policy. “The EU's dependence on imported energy, primarily oil and gas, is predicted to rise from 56% today to almost 70% in 2030 unless we act now,” he stresses. “The EU must put its own house in order as a precondition for a coherent external EU policy on energy,” he went on, before adding, “We strongly believe that markets and competition are keywords in this process”.
Copenhagen proposes firstly a number of concrete actions to ensure the completion of the EU internal market for energy (gas and electricity): - strengthen and further develop the rules of the internal market with the aim of improving competition and cross-border infrastructure; - strengthen solidarity regarding gas supplies; - ask the Commission to submit a plan for the development of European electricity and gas networks, possibly based on regional development plans; - ask the Commission to draw up an action plan proposal for the development of offshore wind farms in EU territorial waters, and a plan for the associated electricity infrastructure.
Pointing out that the Danish experience shows it is possible to maintain a high level of growth and reduce dependence on fossil fuels, notably through the widespread introduction of combined heat and power, Denmark calls on the EU to concentrate on increased energy efficiency in order to “be the most energy efficient economy in the world”. To achieve this end, it recommends adopting a binding energy savings target amounting to 1.15% annually, including transport, for the EU as a whole and for individual Member States until 2017. The aim, as well as maintaining this objective until 2025, will be to: - establish binding minimum standards for the energy efficiency of new passenger cars and light lorries (improved fuel consumption) through ambitious agreements with the motor car industry and direct legislation. It also suggests exploring the possibility of voluntary agreements in maritime and air transport.
In addition, Denmark calls on Member States to concentrate on the increased production and use of renewable energy. Copenhagen says the EU must: - on the one hand, set new ambitious targets to increase the share of renewable energy produced on Community territory; - on the other, adopt a binding target (while fully respecting each individual Member State's different possibilities) of a 15% renewable energy share of EU consumption by 2015, with a further target of 20-25% for the period between 2015 and 2025 depending on technological developments. Member States would have complete freedom on how to achieve these targets, but would have to report on the initiatives taken. (Copenhagen believes market-based schemes to be the most efficient way of ensuring targets are met.)
Copenhagen also proposes that the Commission explores ways of promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency by establishing markets in Europe for certificates for energy savings and certificates for renewable energy in the electricity sector. Such markets presuppose binding targets for the promotion of renewable energy and energy efficiency.
Finally, the EU should increase funds devoted to R&D in the areas of renewable energy, energy efficiency and clean energy technologies. With this in mind, Copenhagen promises to push for: - the doubling of R&D funds in the areas above at the mid-term review of the Community 2007-2013 budget and the next budget period; - R&D funds to be offered in open competition in order to spur competition research environments, encouraging efficiency and adaptability and thereby enhancing opportunities for the EU to take the global lead in the development of new energy technologies.
Elsewhere, as regards the external dimension of European energy policy, “we should aim our common dialogue with the major external producer, transit and consumer countries at promoting the core values of the EU's internal Energy Policy,” Mr Rasmussen says, before pointing out that an external policy based on diversification of external energy sources and combined with efforts to ensure effective open markets, increased energy efficiency and a focus on the promotion of renewable energy in third countries “will contribute to the EU's ambition of fighting global climate changes”. (eh)