Energy union

The Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament today presented its proposal for a European energy union (1), ahead of anticipated proposals from the European Commission over the coming month. Commenting on the Green energy union paper, Green energy spokesperson Claude Turmes said:

"The energy union will be the flagship project for Europe over the coming years and the focus of this union must be on promoting a European energy transition. This means an energy union that focuses on energy efficiency and boosting home-grown secure and safe renewable energies and which can ensure that citizens and municipalities have a real say in and control of the process. This must be the focus if we are to truly strengthen our energy security, create high-quality green jobs, boost our economy and ensure we do our part to prevent climate change. Our Green Energy Union has outlined how this is possible and we now hope the European Commission will make this the focus of its proposals."

Green energy spokesperson Bas Eickhout said:

"We cannot continue with a situation in which we do not have control over our energy supply and are at the whim of volatile energy prices and suppliers, transferring hundreds of billions of Euro to them each year. At the same time, we are running out of time to stop climate-warming greenhouse gases and limit the increase in global temperatures to below 2 degrees, which is necessary to prevent catastrophic climate change. An energy union based on solidarity would enable EU member states to obtain almost 100% of their energy from renewable sources by 2050 and ensure the benefits are spread across our societies. We are concerned with some of the proposals already circulating, notably from the UK, which seek to promote shale gas and nuclear power."

(1) The paper and a short overview can be found at: http://www.greens-efa.eu/a-green-energy-union-13369.html