EU energy ministers today agreed on measures regarding the governance of the EU's Energy Union at their Council meeting. Commenting on the Council conclusions, Green energy spokesperson Claude Turmes said:
"EU energy ministers have today given some clear guidance as regards the crucial issue of governance over the Energy Union, where the Commission is preparing a legislative proposal. We need an ambitious and transparent system, which fully involves parliament in the decision-making to ensure democratic oversight. However, governments are ignoring the elephant in the room: namely what will occur if there is a gap between combined national commitments and the overall EU target.
"It is of utmost importance that the upcoming legislative proposal on governance includes a template for national energy and climate plans. The European Parliament and Commission must work together to ensure a strong legislative framework on renewable energy and efficiency, with ambitious and binding targets. This is the only way to ensure the necessary convergence of national policies. However, there is a need for clarity on what will be done if the sum of national commitments falls short of the EU's 2030 target for at least a 27% share of renewable energy. We should design a workable 'gap filler', building on the cooperation mechanisms foreseen by the existing EU renewable energy directive."
