Following the Commission's presentation
of the climate-energy package, the Council held a public policy debate,
focusing on the proposal
for a directive on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable
sources.
In view of the nature of the
climate-energy package, two horizontal questions focused on the ambition of
the package as a whole and on sustainability criteria, and two questions were
addressed to energy ministers focusing on renewable energy sources and on the
trade in guarantees of origin.
The presidency summarised the
debate along the following lines:
- Delegations welcome the
climate-energy package in general as well as the proposal on the
promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources. Early adoption of
the instrument has been urged by several delegations;
- The national targets are
considered to be very ambitious - some even think they are too ambitious
- and, in order to achieve them, there is inter alia a need for (i) much
flexibility on how to achieve them; (ii) increasing public support for
renewable energies and; (iii) certainty with respect to the support
schemes, including the guidelines on state aid for environmental
protection. In this context, it is crucial to have some assurance that,
after 2014, the successor to these guidelines will be equally
supportive.
- The importance of the
indicative trajectories for reaching the targets has been confirmed, but
here also, flexibility seems to be necessary;
- Solidarity has been
highlighted as another essential aspect;
- Balance is needed between
competitiveness, security of supply and sustainability;
- The importance of trade in
guarantees of origin has been underlined as a flexible instrument which
should enable and not hinder Member States to reach their targets, as
well as the continuation of current national support schemes for
renewables;
- The contribution of energy
efficiency is considered as essential to achieve the objectives;
- With respect to biofuels,
there is broad support for ambitious sustainability criteria. However,
these criteria should not diminish the competitiveness of European
industry nor should they lead to trade barriers since import of and
trade in biofuels will be necessary to achieve the target in this field.
Moreover, the cost-effectiveness of the sustainability scheme will have
to be ensured;
- Several delegations have
indicated that sustainability criteria should apply to all forms of
biomass. In this context, consistency between the renewables directive and
the fuel quality directive is essential;
Lastly, the need for cost
efficiency has been underlined as an essential element.