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(07/03/06) Europese Groenen tekenen duurzaam energiebeleid uit

In haar energiebeleid focust de Europese Commissie te veel op het verzekeren van het aanbod. Dat is kortzichtig en naïef. De Unie verdient een aanpak die efficiënt energiegebruik centraal stelt. Het opnieuw openen van het nucleair debat is niet wenselijk.

Greens present vision for a truly sustainable European energy policy

The Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament have launched a strategy paper outlining their vision for a sustainable energy policy for Europe in Vienna today. Coming on the eve of presentation by the European Commission of its Green Paper on energy policy, the Greens' Vienna Declaration aims to provide a more comprehensive framework for developing a European energy policy. Speaking at the launch, Claude Turmes, Vice-president of the Greens/EFA group said:

"Growing fears regarding security of supply and rising energy prices have underlined the shortcomings Europe's disjointed approach to energy policy. However, in its hasty response, the Commission risks sacrificing this opportunity to develop a comprehensive and effective EU energy policy. To truly guarantee a sustainable, secure and affordable supply of energy we must forge consensus on a broad policy approach, focusing on both supply and demand side policies and technologies. The Greens' Vienna Declaration outlines the priorities, which should guide any attempt to develop a European energy policy.

"In its approach, the Commission is preoccupied with the security of supply. Any energy policy, which fails to address how we use our energy is naive and short-sighted. We need a new approach, which puts efficient use of energy at the centre of the new EU energy policy. This is particularly true for the transport sector. 96% of the energy used in the transport sector comes from oil. We cannot reduce our oil dependency without tackling our oil-guzzling transport sector.

"Obviously, alternative sources of energy must also be promoted if the EU is to ensure some control over security of supply. It is welcome that the Commission is looking to renewables in this context. However, moves to reopen the debate on nuclear power are divorced from reality and will prevent the necessary consensus for action at EU-level. Quite aside from the fact that it is dangerous and dirty, there would need to be a massive expansion of nuclear infrastructure and investment to enable it to be of any use in combating climate change.. It is also rejected by a vast majority of EU citizens, as a recent Eurobarometer survey confirmed.

"In order to be effective, a future European energy policy must also be equipped with the necessary tools to guarantee that the internal energy market can thrive. The current surge in mergers risks concentrating EU energy provision in the hands of a small oligopoly of energy behemoths to the detriment of the EU economy and consumers across Europe. Protectionism is not the answer; only an effective competition policy at EU-level can act as a bulwark in defending a competitive and innovative internal market.



Editors note:

** On 8 March 2006 the European Commission is scheduled to adopt a Green Paper on a Secure, Competitive and Sustainable Energy Policy for Europe. This will then be discussed at a special Energy Council meeting on 14 March before being on the agenda of the Spring Summit on 23/24 March 2006. This is expected to set in train the adoption of a New Energy Policy for Europe. The Greens/EFA Vienna Declaration is aims to feed into this debate on a European Energy Policy.

** The Greens' Vienna Declaration

GroenDe enige partij die sociaal én milieuvriendelijk is.

www.groen.be

De Groenen/EVAGroenen en Europese Vrije Alliantie in het Europees Parlement.

www.greens-efa.eu

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