Brussels, 04/03/2008 (Agence Europe) - In their annual joint message to the EU Spring Summit in March, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETCU), European Environmental Bureau (EEB) and Platform of European Social NGOs (Social Platform) welcome the EU's proposed energy/climate package. They call on EU leaders, however, to adopt a coherent policy approach giving equal weight to social, employment and environmental objectives.
The three organisations call on the European Council to “respect the key principles of the EU 2006 strategy for sustainable development and in particular social equity and social cohesion, the precautionary principle and involvement of citizens, businesses and workers' organisations”. Member states must also prioritise energy efficiency investments for low-income households and offer good quality work and training programmes to make the most of fresh market opportunities, their joint press release states. With this in mind, ETUC, EEB and the Social Platform put forward proposals for a European finance plan for sustainable growth.
According to the joint press release, this plan should include: - the adoption by EU governments of the related Commission's proposals to facilitate environmentally sound investments; - the allocation of substantial parts of the revenues generated by the auctioning of emission rights to support jobs creation and prevent fuel poverty; - and an initiative by the European Investment Bank (EIB) to mobilise capital - up to 1% of European GDP - to lend to EU governments investing in sustainable priorities (i.e. renewable energy production, energy efficiency including combined heat power-production and social energy-saving programmes).
More especially, ETUC General Secretary John Monks calls on the European Council to “respond decisively if other industrialised countries refuse to join the fight against climate change and .. take steps to protect EU-based industry from unfair competition”. He continues by saying he is in favour of “border tax adjustments”. John Hontelez, EEB Secretary General, takes the view that “industrialised countries will need cuts of between 25% and 40% by 2020 to halt dramatic global warming”. Fintan Farrell, Social Platform President, added: “Investment in public transport and in green social housing must play a key role in decreasing energy consumption and at the same time promote people's well being and reinforce local communities”. The full joint declaration is available in English at: http://www.etuc.org (G.B.)