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News Releases
EU Energy Commissioner Andris
Piebalgs, European Commission President José Manuel
Barroso & EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas
No. 01/07
January 10, 2007
EUROPEAN COMMISSION PROPOSES AN INTEGRATED ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE PACKAGE TO CUT EMISSIONS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
The European Commission today proposed a comprehensive
new
Energy Policy for Europe to combat
climate change
and boost the European Union's
energy security and
competitiveness. Setting a series of ambitious targets
on greenhouse gas emissions and renewable energy, the
package of proposals aims to create a true internal
market for energy and strengthen effective regulation.
The Commission believes that, when an international
agreement is reached on the post-2012 framework, this
should lead to a 30% cut in emissions from developed
countries by 2020. To underline further its commitment,
the Commission proposes that the European Union commit
now to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20% by
2020, in particular through energy measures.
 "Today marks a step change for the European Union.
Energy policy was a core area at the start of the
European project," said European Commission President
José Manuel
Barroso. "We must now return it to center stage. The
challenges of climate change, increasing import
dependence and higher energy prices are faced by all EU
members. A common European response is necessary to
deliver sustainable, secure and competitive energy. The
proposals put forward by the Commission today
demonstrate our commitment to leadership and a long-term
vision for a new Energy Policy for Europe that responds
to climate change. We must act now, to shape tomorrow's
world."
"If we take the right decisions now,"
EU Commissioner for
Energy Policy
Andris Piebalgs said,
"Europe can lead
the world to a new industrial revolution: the
development of a low carbon economy. Our ambition to
create a working internal market, to promote a clean and
efficient energy mix and to make the right choices in
research and development will determine whether we lead
this new scenario or we follow others."
Stavros Dimas,
EU Commissioner for the
Environment, said:
"Climate change is
 one of the gravest threats to our
planet. Acting against climate change is imperative.
Today, we have agreed on a set of ambitious, but
realistic targets which will support our global efforts
to contain climate change and its most dire
consequences. I urge the rest of the developed world to
follow our lead, match our reductions and accelerate
progress towards an international agreement on the
global emission reductions."
Europe faces real challenges. There is a more than a 50%
chance that global temperatures will rise during this
century by more than 5°C. On current projections energy
and transport policies would mean that, rather than
falling, EU emissions would increase by around 5% by
2030. With current trends and policies, the EU's energy
import dependence will jump from 50% of total EU energy
consumption today to 65% in 2030. In addition, the
internal energy market remains incomplete which prevents
EU citizens and the EU economy from receiving the full
benefits of energy liberalization.
The package proposed by the Commission today seeks to
provide solutions to these challenges.
For further information and details on each facet of the
package, please visit:
http://www.eurunion.org/newsweb/HotTopics/energy.htm#EUEnergyInitiatives
Further Contact Information
Press and Public Diplomacy
Delegation of the European Commission
2300 M Street, NW
Washington, DC 20037
http://www.eurunion.org/PressRoom
Tel: 202-862-9552
Fax: 202-429-1766
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