Brussels, 04/12/2008 (Agence Europe) - During a lengthy debate on the climate/energy package on Thursday 4 December in European Parliament plenary, the European Commission and the Council Presidency announced that a first reading agreement between the three institutions was imminent, with the UN conference in Poznan in full swing. Most political groups stressed how urgent it was to reach an agreement in plenary on 17 December in Strasbourg, insisting on the importance of providing a response to the greatest challenge of the 21st century - global warming. Although some speakers deplored the lack of ambition shown by the climate/energy package, others expressed doubt about the accuracy of scientific arguments.
Speaking on behalf of the European Commission, Andris Piebalgs announced that an agreement was imminent and praised the EP for its “constructive” approach. The energy commissioner gave his assurance that few questions were still pending in discussions on the renewables directive, which sets binding objective of 20% green energy in the EU's energy mix by 2020 and a sub-target of 10% of renewables in the transport sector, promoting electric cars and sustainable biofuels. Mr Piebalgs specified that review of the cooperation mechanisms in 2014 is one of the rare issues still on the table. He stressed the European Parliament's fear that such revision would cast doubt on objectives and on the directive's level of ambition. Stavros Dimas stressed the need for the EU to adopt the climate/energy package by the end of the year to maintain its “credibility” at international level. The environment commissioner was confident about the possibility of reaching a “satisfactory solution” in discussions on the ETS (Emissions Trading Scheme) directive, which aims to recast the EU's emissions quota exchange system by extending it to energy providers and industry. “We have struck a good balance between flexibility and application of our objectives”, he said, stressing that a 3% limit has been set, together with emission quota transfer rights. Mr Dimas also announced progress on the directive for carbon capture and storage (CCS), underlining the need to go forward concerning the financing of this technology by the ETS.
Speaking on behalf of the French EU Presidency, Jean-Louis Borloo assured that the “common commitment” remains that of reaching a first reading agreement with a timetable that is compatible with the international deadlines of the Poznan conference and the Copenhagen conference in December 2009. As the Environment Council takes place the same day, work coordination “could not be better”, he added. “The world has its eyes riveted on Europe” as adoption of the climate energy package - “a package for energy, economic and technological transition that is both massive and controlled with a method of operation, mechanisms of solidarity and a shared method, all of which is in a Union of 27 democratic member states - is a rehearsal of what will happen in the major global talks”, Mr Borloo said. He underlined the historic uniqueness of an initiative by economies - that differ from each other because of their climatic conditions, their wealth, their resources and their energy past - to “change ideas together”. The adoption of a package of climate measures by the Union, leading world economy with 450 million inhabitants and one which emits 15% of the planet's greenhouse gases, “is the duty that history places on us today”, he stressed. The aims set out in the package, the “20-20-20” by 2020 (i.e. 20% reduction of CO2 emissions, 20% renewables and 20% greater energy efficiency) form a “coherent, independent and equitable whole where each must be able to provide a contribution according to their possibilities”. These aims are translated by the Commission into five legislative texts: - the ETS directive; - the directive on sharing effort aimed at compelling sectors not covered by ETS, such as buildings, transport and agriculture, to reduce their emissions; - the renewables directive; - the CCS directive; - and the regulation on CO2 emissions from light vehicles which aims to bring engine emissions down from 160 to 120 grams by 2012-2015. Negotiations have entered a “crucial phase” and the aim of the French Presidency is to reach an agreement by the end of the year, the Council president said, recalling that “two months ago, an agreement seemed impossible”. There are two weeks left in which to conclude and the trialogues this week should allow 90% of the texts to be finalised. At the Environment Council, the Presidency was, on Thursday, to seek to make the 27 states agree on the regulation on light vehicle emissions and the renewables directive. Although the overall architecture and national targets are “very largely shared”, difficult elements have still to be settled, such as the ETS directive. This, according to Mr Borloo, requires finding systems for financial solidarity and progressiveness allowing energy transition for countries that use the most carbon, as well as a method of regulation for surging energy prices so that this does not entail massive price increases for the end user. In the present state of the talks, the demands of the three blocs of countries should be taken into account: - those of the Baltic States in a situation of energy isolation, including Lithuania, that has to dismantle its nuclear power plant; - those of countries whose industry is considerably less performant as it uses a lot of fossil fuels, such as Poland; - and those of countries that pay attention to the cost of necessary solidarity among all. A meeting is scheduled for 6 December in Gdansk between President Sarkozy and his counterparts from member states of Eastern Europe in order to reach a compromise taking their demands into account. “This package cannot work without the strong and unanimous commitment of the states. There is obviously a great temptation to refuse the obstacle and await Copenhagen. That is because one doesn't understand that, what is not done today, will be paid for very dearly tomorrow”, he concluded.
Speaking on behalf of the EPP-ED Group, of which he is the president, Joseph Daul of France said that, although the economic crisis makes achievement of the climate/energy package more difficult, it bans all failure. Mr Daul called on the French EU Presidency to “convince, not impose, from now on”. President of the Socialist Group, Martin Schulz of Germany, deplored the Council's decision to leave the last word up to the European Council. “The EP will not be giving a blank cheque. We can't tinker a little here and a little there and then tell the EP to take it or leave it. Give us a result that is valid for all and it will end up a success”, Mr Borloo said. “Some countries say they cannot allow themselves to reduce carbon emissions. If we manage to resolve the problem, it will reduce the bill and save a lot of lives”, the president of the ALDE Group, Graham Watson, said, accusing the Council of slowing down the negotiation process. Mr Watson trusted that the fate of the European car industry would not cast a shadow on progress in coming weeks. “With Barack Obama, the United States will have a leader with a vision and political courage who will centre the rebuilding of the American economy on green technology”, said Claude Turmes from Luxembourg, speaking on behalf of the Greens and accusing Europe of being “held back by the most polluting companies”. Mr Turmes welcomed the agreement reached on Wednesday with the EPP-ED, PES and ALDE on the renewables directive, for which he is rapporteur, and to which “only Silvio Berlusconi objects”. On behalf of the UEN, Alessandro Foglietta of Italy highlighted the need to assess the instruments of the climate/energy package in terms of cost efficiency. Umberto Guidoni of Italy, speaking for the GUE/NGL, called for public investment to be used for promoting renewables and energy efficiency rather than for helping the banks. Johannes Blokland of the Netherlands, speaking for the IND/DEM Group, called for no limit to be placed on the package's ambitions so that the expectations of the international community are not disappointed. On behalf of the Non-Attached, Roger Helmer of Britain expressed doubt about the gravity of the climate change phenomenon which, in his view, corresponds to natural long-term cycles. Rapporteur on the CCS directive, British Chris Davies (ALDE) underlined the importance of promoting CCS technology in Europe and in the world where China produces 80% of its electricity from coal-fired plants. Rapporteur on the ETS directive, Avril Doyle (EPP-ED, Ireland) called for receipts from ETS auction to be shared out equitably and urged enterprise and the scientific community to support the climate/energy package. Rapporteur on the “non-ETS” directive, Satu Hassi (Greens, Finland), said one should not demand more from developing countries than is asked of developed countries in the post-Kyoto regime. (E.H./transl.jl)