EU needs concrete action towards robust energy and climate governance

As the Energy Council meets to discuss the Winter Energy Package, Claude Turmes calls for more concrete proposals for delivering better energy and climate governance.

"In addition to delivering 5,000 pages of draft legislative proposals, the Commission needs to offer Member States concrete measures and enabling policies for delivering better energy and climate governance.

"We need a more investor-friendly framework for energy efficiency. Linking the governance of the energy union with regional cooperation, financial instruments, and the promotion of flagship projects for the electricity market and renewable energy would all help Member States phase-out fossil fuel subsidies more quickly.

"One of the key measures proposed in the energy package is the establishment of emissions performance standards to prevent public financial support for new coal installations (a cap is set at 550 gCO2/kWh). In the wake of the Paris Agreement, the EU will lose all credibility if it does not actively ban the construction of new coal-fired power plants."