Brussels, 05/12/2008 (Agence Europe) - At the second Energy Council under the French Presidency, to be held in Brussels on Monday 8 December 2008, EU ministers will hold a policy debate on energy security based on the 2nd strategic analysis published by the scam in November 2008. The French ecology minister, Jean Louis Borloo, who will be chairing the meeting for the French Presidency, will submit to the delegations an assessment of progress in the EU climate and energy package before the ministers try to strike general agreement on the draft revision of the ecodesign framework directive|.
Energy and climate package - The French Presidency will brief ministers on progress in the climate and energy package since the last Energy Council (see EUROPE 9761),focussing on the renewables directive. The Presidency hopes that agreement will be reached with the European Parliament before Christmas in order for agreement in first reading at the EP to be struck before the end of the current EP term of office. On 4 December, the Environment Council called for none of the package to be dropped (see EUROPE 9797). The energy and climate package is a series of legislative measures on the EU's 20-20-20 targets for 2020 (a 20% cut in EU CO2 emissions, 20% of EU energy coming from renewable sources and 20% energy efficiency) taking the form of four items of legislation - the ETS directive to extend the EU's carbon trading system (Emissions Trading Scheme), a directive on sharing emissions reductions aimed at industries not covered by the ETS, a directive on renewables and a directive on carbon capture and storage.
Energy security - The Council will hold a public policy debate on energy security based on the 2nd strategic analysis of energy policy, published part way through November by the European Commission (see EUROPE 9771). The policy takes the form of an ambitious five-prong action plan for energy security and solidarity: infrastructure requirements and diversification of supply sources; foreign energy relations; oil and gas stocks and mechanisms to deal with energy crises; energy efficiency; and the best use of the EU's own energy resources (see EUROPE 9782).
Energy efficiency - The Presidency will brief ministers on progress in implementation of the framework directive laying down ecodesign requirements for consumer energy products. The Council will try to agree on general guidelines during a public debate on the draft review of the ecodesign directive unveiled by the Commission in July 2008.
International relations - The Presidency and Commission will brief ministers on the EU-Russia standing partnership council (see EUROPE 9758) and the agenda of the Energy Community's meeting of ministers in Tirana, Albania, next week. (E.H. trans fl)