18.3.2010   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 67/16

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having regard to the Commission Communication of 13 November 2008 entitled Second Strategic Energy Review – an EU energy security and solidarity action plan (COM(2008)0781) (the Communication on the Second Strategic Energy Review),

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having regard to the Commission Green Paper of 13 November 2008 entitled Towards a secure, sustainable and competitive energy network (COM(2008)0782),

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having regard to the Commission report of 13 November 2008 on the implementation of the trans-European energy networks programme in the period 2002-2006 (COM(2008)0770),

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having regard to the Commission Communication of 13 November 2008 on Directive 2004/67/EC of 26 April 2004 concerning measures to safeguard security of natural gas supply (COM(2008)0769),

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having regard to the Commission's proposal of 13 November 2008 for a Council directive imposing an obligation on Member States to maintain minimum stocks of crude oil and/or petroleum products (COM(2008)0775),

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having regard to the Commission Communication of 13 November 2008 entitled Energy efficiency: delivering the 20% target (COM(2008)0772),

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having regard to the Commission proposal of 13 November 2008 for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the energy performance of buildings (recast) (COM(2008)0780),

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having regard to the Commission proposal of 13 November 2008 for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the indication by labelling and standard product information of the consumption of energy and other resources by energy-related products (recast) (COM(2008)0778),

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having regard to the Commission proposal of 13 November 2008 for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on labelling of tyres with respect to fuel efficiency and other essential parameters (COM(2008)0779),

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having regard to the Commission proposal of 26 November 2008 for a Council directive setting up a Community framework for nuclear safety (COM(2008)0790),

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having regard to the Commission Communication of 13 November 2008 entitled Europe can save more energy by combined heat and power generation (COM(2008)0771),

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having regard to the Commission Communication of 13 November 2008 entitled Offshore Wind Energy: Action needed to deliver on the Energy Policy Objectives for 2020 and beyond (COM(2008)0768),

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having regard to the Commission Communication of 13 November 2008 entitled Update of the nuclear illustrative programme in the context of the second strategic energy review (COM(2008)0776),

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having regard to the Commission Communication of 10 January 2007 entitled Limiting Global Climate Change to 2 degrees Celsius: The way ahead for 2020 and beyond (COM(2007)0002),

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having regard to the Commission Communication of 23 January 2008 entitled 20 20 by 2020 – Europe's climate change opportunity (COM(2008)0030),

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having regard to the Commission proposal of 23 January 2008 for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources (COM(2008)0019),

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having regard to the Commission Communication of 26 November 2008 entitled A European Economic Recovery Plan (COM(2008)0800),

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having regard to its position of 4 April 2006 on the Council common position for adopting a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down guidelines for trans-European energy networks and repealing Decision 96/391/EC and Decision No 1229/2003/EC (1),

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having regard to its resolution of 10 May 2007 on Assessing Euratom – 50 Years of European nuclear energy policy (2),

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having regard to its resolution of 25 September 2007 on the Road map for renewable energy in Europe (3),

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having regard to its resolution of 26 September 2007 on towards a common European foreign policy on energy (4),

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having regard to its resolution of 24 October 2007 on conventional energy sources and energy technology (5),

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having regard to its resolution of 31 January 2008 on an Action Plan for Energy Efficiency: Realising the Potential (6),

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having regard to its resolution of 13 March 2008 on the Global Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Fund (7),

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having regard to its resolution of 9 July 2008 on the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (8),

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having regard to its position of 18 June 2008 on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2003/54/EC concerning common rules for the internal market in electricity (9),

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having regard to its position of 9 July 2008 on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2003/55/EC concerning common rules for the internal market in natural gas (10),

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having regard to its position of 18 June 2008 on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 1228/2003 on conditions for access to the network for cross-border exchanges in electricity (11),

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having regard to its position of 9 July 2008 on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 1775/2005 on conditions for access to the natural gas transmission networks (12),

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having regard to its position of 18 June 2008 on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing an Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (13),

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having regard to its resolution of 18 November 2008 on supporting early demonstration of sustainable power generation from fossil fuels (14),

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having regard to the Presidency conclusions of the European Council of 8 and 9 March 2007,

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having regard to the Presidency conclusions of the European Council of 13 and 14 March 2008,

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having regard to the Presidency conclusions of the European Council of 15 and 16 October 2008,

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having regard to Rule 45 of its Rules of Procedure,

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having regard to the report of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy and the opinion of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (A6-0013/2009),

A.

whereas any European energy policy must pursue three principal and equally important objectives in an integral manner, namely security of supply and solidarity among Member States, tackling climate change including a strong commitment to and implementation of the Union's own targets, and competitiveness,

B.

whereas a complete shift of paradigm in energy policy is necessary to achieve the above three main objectives while leading at the same time to a solution which takes account of social, environmental, economic and employment concerns,

C.

whereas the Union's dependence on conventional energy sources and on a limited number of energy producers presents a serious risk to stability, prosperity and security of energy supply,

D.

whereas increasing energy efficiency must play a key role in reducing dependence on energy imports, increasing competitiveness and combating climate change,

E.

whereas at present, the Union's energy demand continues to rise in most sectors, leaving energy efficiency potential largely unexploited,

F.

whereas the Union currently imports 50% of the energy that it consumes and whereas this proportion could rise to 70% by 2030,

G.

whereas the risks to the Union's security of supply are increased by the lack of vision towards an economy based on energy sobriety and to the low level of investment, in particular at local and regional levels, which, in all energy and energy-related sectors, is leading to capacities which are stretched or even inadequate, making it necessary in particular to renew electricity generating plants at an estimated investment cost of 900 billion EUR by 2030,

H.

whereas the decreasing level of oil and gas prices has a negative effect on planned investments, making it necessary to support all major infrastructure projects that contribute to the import of significant gas volumes to Europe, diversifying sources, routes and avoiding transit risks,

I.

whereas the present economic crisis is further hampering investment in energy infrastructure,

J.

whereas notwithstanding that the Commission's scenario foresees the decrease of demand of conventional sources in the next two decades, Europe needs to support all planned investments in new import energy infrastructure; whereas this will guarantee a safe transition to the new European energy system expected to be in place by 2020,

K.

whereas from 2030, in order to alleviate the major risk of fossil fuel energy shortages, the Union will have to have developed and programmed new competitive, sustainable, low CO2 energy technologies, while having significantly reduced its energy consumption,

L.

whereas the Union urgently needs to develop major network investments and to complete the internal energy market, and whereas forward-looking initiatives, such as the European transmission system operator and the establishment of a single European gas network, should be encouraged,

M.

whereas the energy sector and investments in energy infrastructure need a stable regulatory framework and a closer cooperation between the national regulators,

N.

whereas the development of energy networks is essential for improving security of supply, which must figure prominently among European energy policy priorities,

O.

whereas the electricity and gas sectors need a stable and predictable regulatory framework, making it necessary to confer strong powers on the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (Agency) so as to contribute to the harmonisation of national regulatory frameworks and to avoid the uncertainty that might result from the comitology procedure,

P.

whereas to contribute to security of supply objectives, the conventional indigenous energy resources of the Union must be exploited in Member States where they are available in compliance with national and the Community environmental legislation,

1.

Calls on Member States to regard this strategic energy review as a basis for implementing an energy policy for Europe and setting an ambitious action plan for 2010 - 2012;

2.

Reaffirms the threefold objective set for 2020 of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20%, and 30% in the case of an international agreement, reducing energy consumption by at least 20% and attaining at least a 20% share for renewables in final energy consumption; calls on the European Union and Member States to become the most energy-efficient economy in order to actively contribute to the achievement of the 2°C climate objective; calls on the European Union and the Member States to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80 % by 2050; calls on the Commission, in consultation with stakeholders, to draw up possible energy scenarios, illustrating ways in which these objectives may be reached and setting out the underlying technical and economic hypotheses;

3.

Strongly believes that reducing energy consumption is the absolute priority with a view to achieving sustainable development, innovation, job creation and competitiveness objectives and is also a very effective and inexpensive way of improving energy security;

4.

Calls on the Commission and Member States to make the 20% energy saving target by 2020 legally binding on Member States and to propose and implement consistent measures to secure its achievement;

5.

Calls on the European Union and the Member States to adopt as objectives a 35% improvement in energy efficiency and a 60% share of renewable energy by 2050;

6.

Calls on the Commission to support all planned investments in new import energy infrastructure and renewable energy technologies to face the decreasing level of oil and gas prices that has a negative effect on planned investments;

7.

Calls on Member States, in the light of the growing risks which the European Union is running in terms of energy security, to speak with a single voice; notes that their current practices are anything but geared to this aspiration; considers it imperative, in the interests of security of supply, solidarity and of the effectiveness of negotiations with a view to determining the international regulatory framework, for the Commission to propose to Parliament and the Council the drawing up of a European energy policy which has due regard for the respective competences of the European Union and of the Member States: international relations, energy efficiency, combating climate change, further development of the internal market, negotiation of international treaties, forward studies and dialogue with producers and transit countries, energy research and diversification of energy supplies;

8.

Calls on the Commission to contribute to the creation of a single European voice towards third country producers through the development of mutually beneficial interdependency and to support the strengthening of the trading power of EU undertakings as against that of the state-owned undertakings of third countries;

9.

Considers that energy solidarity must become a major European concern at European, regional and bilateral level and that damaging energy supply in a Member State afflicts the European Union as a whole;

10.

Stresses the importance of local initiatives to combat climate change; endorses measures to promote energy efficiency and renewable energies, such as the financing programmes which fall under the cohesion policy or green taxation, or the contribution by the ‘Covenant of Mayors’, and supports in this regard the idea of a ‘Covenant of Islands’ towards the dissemination of best practices and the development of highly efficient and renewable energy communities and cities;

11.

Believes that an appropriate European energy policy must be founded on a balanced energy mix based on the use of non-carbon energy and the lowest emitting fossil fuels and on new technologies which drastically reduce emissions of greenhouse gases from solid fossil fuels;

12.

Believes that Member States should develop national strategies to tackle the issue of energy poverty within their territory;

13.

Considers that the division of tasks between undertakings and political decision-makers, whereby undertakings take responsibility for security of supply, is of proven value and should therefore in principle be preserved; calls on political decision-makers, in view of the increasingly difficult global environment, in future to adopt more accompanying measures for business operations;

14.

Recalls the commitments made by Member States in signing the Lisbon Treaty, to combating climate change and to practising solidarity in times of energy crisis;

15.

Considers that the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty will further strengthen all efforts for the establishment of a common European energy policy;

16.

Welcomes the European Union energy security and solidarity action plan;

17.

Notes a very significant delay in the building of the priority and European-interest transport and energy networks; stresses that this low level of investment is acting as a brake on the proper functioning of the internal market and is responsible for the fact that, in all energy sectors, capacity is stretched or even inadequate; notes as well that this is only partly the responsibility of industry and calls for the Member States to involve their citizens better, notably by informing them about the needs of new infrastructure and generation projects; calls therefore on national regulatory authorities to do whatever they can within their fields of decision-making to accelerate investment;

18.

Notes that the new wave of investment must be forward-looking to take into account the changing way in which energy is consumed and produced and that decentralised energy systems must be matched with large renewable sources;

19.

Notes that the European Council set a target of 10% for achieving gas and electricity interconnection capacity between Member States;

20.

Welcomes the idea of increasing European financing with the aim of encouraging investment in networks; notes with interest the Commission's proposal to allocate - under the framework of the 2008 Economic Recovery Plan - 5 billion EUR of 2008/2009 unspent budgets in particular on new energy connections; asks to be fully involved in the decision-making process on the final list of projects; considers that the European Investment Bank should have a more prominent role in providing funding for energy efficiency, renewable energies and research and development (R&D) projects;

21.

Calls on the Commission and Member States to work actively to increase the number of operators on the energy market and in particular to adopt measures to promote energy production by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and their market entry;

22.

Emphasises the importance of the development of gas and electricity interconnections through Central and South-Eastern Europe along a north-south axis, recalling that the networks in the Baltic sea region should be developed and integrated into the Western European network; underlines the need for special attention for the development of a Baltic Interconnection Plan covering gas, electricity and storage in 2009; also supports the building of interconnections with islands, remote and isolated areas in the European Union;

23.

Urges, for the same reasons, the development of the interconnections with South-Western Europe, especially from the Iberian peninsula to northern France;

24.

Recalls that cross-border links already exist between various countries; observes that regional initiatives such as the Pentalateral Forum have devised usable practical solutions which increase the integration of the internal market; encourages those responsible for these initiatives to continue their successful work;

25.

Calls on the Commission to propose adequate measures to encourage interconnection and development of electricity networks to allow for the optimised integration and balancing of fluctuating renewable energy production on- and offshore;

26.

Welcomes the proposal to submit a plan for an offshore network in the North Sea in order to exploit its enormous wind energy potential; also welcomes in this connection the creation of a European supergrid by linking the network infrastructures of the North Sea, Mediterranean and Baltic regions;

27.

Calls on the Commission and Member States to ensure appropriate regulation and to allow for non-discriminatory access to new infrastructure, for example, to the North Sea offshore grid;

28.

28Believes that the EU must substantially and as rapidly as possible continue to increase its diversification and security in energy sources; calls on the Commission and on the Czech Presidency to present a new ambitious and far-sighted diversification plan to the next European Council;

29.

Expresses its support for projects to diversify sources and routes of supply, particularly the development of a southern gas corridor including the Nabucco, the Turkey-Greece-Italy Gas Interconnector (TGI), and South Stream projects; stresses the need to work with the countries concerned, notably in the Caspian region; considers it of great importance that in the longer term, when political conditions permit, supplies from other countries in the region, such as Uzbekistan and Iran, should represent a further significant source of supply for the European Union;

30.

Expresses also its support for the full interconnection of the Argelian-Spain-France and continental Europe MEDGAZ project, regarded by the Commission as a project of European interest in the Priority Interconnection Plan to further diversify entry gas routes to Europe;

31.

Advocates, in view of the decline in domestic natural gas production and the change in the energy mix in many Member States, that all currently planned natural gas and electricity infrastructure projects be implemented rapidly in order to ensure that demand can still be met in future;

32.

Considers that relations and partnerships with key energy suppliers, transit countries and consumer countries are important and must be deepened; points out, however, that the deepening of those relations and partnerships should in no circumstances take place to the detriment of the Union's founding values with regard, in particular, to respect for human rights; emphasises in this regard that the development of confidence and deeper and legally binding ties between the European Union and producer and transit countries should go hand in hand with the promotion of, and respect for, democracy, human rights and the rule of law; calls for the development and adoption of policies and concrete measures to those ends;

33.

In this connection calls for a trilateral agreement between the EU, Russia and Ukraine concerning the transit of gas from Russia to the EU to guarantee security of supply in the coming years;

34.

Calls on the Commission to reinforce its efforts to find a solution to the as yet unresolved open questions concerning the conditions for the transit of natural gas through Turkey via the Nabucco gas pipeline;

35.

Considers that sufficient liquefied natural gas (LNG) capacity consisting of liquefaction facilities in the producing countries and LNG terminals and ship-based regasification in the Union should be available to all Member States, either directly or through other Member States on the basis of a solidarity mechanism; considers that new LNG terminals should be regarded as projects of European interest on account of their key contribution to diversification of supply routes;

36.

Calls on the Commission to give its full support to investments in the construction of strategic gas stock facilities, as an important element of European energy security;

37.

Believes that oil refining capacity represents an important additional factor in ensuring the Union's energy security; notes that it is therefore important to improve the level of transparency of the supply-demand balance for refining capacity necessary to serve the Union's needs, in particular taking account of concerns regarding the potential availability of diesel fuel in the future;

38.

Seeks, in accordance with the principle of European energy solidarity, to ensure security of supply and of energy for the Baltic region under conditions of economic recession;

39.

Calls on the Commission and Member States to draw up strategic guidelines intended for lasting application, while encouraging private industrial undertakings to participate in their implementation, striking a balance between market mechanisms and regulation;

40.

Stresses the importance of creating a clear and stable legal framework by finalising before the end of the Parliament's legislature in 2009 the negotiations on the legislative package on the internal energy market; supports the setting up of the independent Agency, as provided for in the above mentioned Commission proposal for a regulation establishing the Agency, with strong and independent powers, including powers relating to security of supply and networks; calls on Member States to foster the implementation of the third energy package, in particular to start cooperating among themselves in order to promote regional and bilateral solidarity for the purpose of safeguarding secure supplies on the internal market;

41.

Invites Member States and the Commission to develop major network investments and to complete the internal energy market through forward-looking initiatives such as the European transmission system operator and the establishment of a single European gas grid;

42.

Calls on the Commission to bring forward to 2020 the objective of developing and completing a smart interconnected electricity network as an important ingredient for achieving the 2020-targets;

43.

Calls on Member States to cooperate to draw up a European strategic plan with a view to multiannual programming of the investment necessary to meet future electricity generation needs on the basis of medium-term projections of energy requirements; believes that an indicative multiannual plan should also be envisaged in the gas sector to provide an overall view of investment requirements at European level;

44.

Calls on Member States and relevant stakeholders to consult and coordinate future plans for cross-border infrastructure investments (grids, pipelines, and power plants for example) with relevant parties in all countries which could be affected by planned investments so as to make best use of available resources.; considers that the establishment of an Infrastructure Coordination Group at European level would help this coordination effort and could supplement the development of a 10-year network development plan as proposed in the internal energy market package;

45.

Stresses that the completion of the internal energy market will be a success only if obstacles to investment are removed and physical connections linking all Member States to one common energy network are constructed and if the market makes it possible ultimately to avoid volatility of energy prices and to ensure a fair market for all generators and grid connection, access and integration of new energy producers and technologies; stresses that the recently revised Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 October 2003 establishing a scheme for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Community (15) provides, in a comprehensible and predictable manner, an assessment of CO2;

46.

Welcomes the Communication on the Second Strategic Energy Review, and in particular its proposals on external energy policy, which are broadly in line with the above-mentioned resolution of 26 September 2007; expresses disappointment about the lack of detailed proposals and underlines once more the need for further intensification of the Union's efforts to develop a coherent and effective common European foreign policy on energy with a renewed focus on energy-producing countries;

47.

Calls on the Commission to support the inclusion of the so-called ‘energy security clause’ in trade, association and partnership as well as cooperation agreements with producer and transit countries, which would lay down a code of conduct and prohibition of disruption due to commercial disputes, and explicitly outline measures to be taken in the event of unilateral disruption, or any change in the terms of the contract or in the terms of supply by one of the partners;

48.

Recalls that, even with the help of ambitious and rigorously implemented energy efficiency and energy saving plans, the European Union is likely still to be dependent in the medium term on third countries for supplies of fossil energy; calls therefore for dialogue with producer, transit and other consumer countries to be stepped up and, more generally, for enhanced international cooperation to increase transparency on world energy markets and to tackle the issue of sustainable development;

49.

Notes the importance of long-term supply contracts for the development of long-term trust-based relations between extracting and purchasing countries and for securing the necessary investment in both upstream and downstream sectors;

50.

Calls on the European Union to cooperate with the countries of the Mediterranean region, and of North Africa in view of their significant energy resource potential and substantial opportunities for development of Africa; believes, in particular, that the use of solar and wind energy should be researched and encouraged; calls, therefore, for common objectives for renewable energy and energy efficiency to be included in the Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean;

51.

Calls on the European Union to cooperate with the countries of Middle East in view of their significant energy resource potential;

52.

Supports the intention to negotiate a wide-ranging new agreement replacing the 1997 Partnership and Cooperation Agreement with Russia including the Chapter on Energy, which should fully respect the principles of the Energy Charter Treaty and its transit protocols; notes that Russia has signed and Ukraine ratified the Energy Charter Treaty; recalls that it contains amongst others the dispute settlement mechanism which provides for dispute settlement for instance in the case of transit or trade disputes between the respective parties to the Treaty;

53.

Stresses the need to include Ukraine in the European arrangements for ongoing dialogue with Russia on account of the key role which Ukraine plays as a transit country;

54.

Urges the Commission, so as to ensure security of supply, to consider extending the Energy Community Treaty between the European Union and South-Eastern Europe to other third countries and to creating new regional energy markets with neighbouring countries on the model of the South East Europe Energy Community, including for example, the Euro-Mediterranean Energy Community,

55.

Stresses the need to include Turkey in the European arrangements for ongoing dialogue with the Caspian/Caucasus region on account of the key role which Turkey can play as a transit country; reiterates at the same time Turkey's commitments as a candidate country for the alignment with the acquis communautaire;

56.

Stresses the geopolitical importance of the Black Sea region for the Union's energy security and for the diversification of its energy supplies;

57.

Calls on the Member States to reinforce energy relations with the countries of Latin America in the context of existing and future association and cooperation agreements;

58.

Calls on Member States to use the euro as an instrument to structure international financial relations in order to reduce fluctuations arising from the invoicing of purchases of oil and gas; calls on the European Union to examine the issue of foreign investment in the European energy sector by applying the reciprocity clause; indeed believes that as long as reciprocity concerning access to markets is not guaranteed the European Union should, as proposed by Parliament and the Commission, apply an effective third country clause regarding the acquisition of a transmission system or transmission system operator;

59.

Calls on the Commission to analyse different ways in which the volatility of oil and gas prices can be reduced; notes in particular the role of transparency and sufficient spare production capacity as well as of the catalytic effect of financial speculation on price formation on the market; rejects the use of strategic oil stocks to reduce price fluctuations on economic grounds;

60.

Calls on Member States to intensify and coordinate their actions with a view to securing supply routes, particularly maritime routes;

61.

Calls on Member States to identify best practices at international level and to step up technological cooperation with these countries so as to enhance knowledge and experience in this area; in particular, calls on Member States to step up their technological cooperation with Japan, whose economy is totally dependent on imported energy and which has developed one of the most efficient energy systems in the world;

62.

Notes that China's growing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions represent a huge challenge to environmental goals and security of energy supply; calls for an enhanced cooperation between the EU and China to promote the transfer of low carbon technology, in particular energy efficiency and renewables; stresses the critical importance of developing and deploying carbon capture and storage (CCS) in China, given the importance of coal to its economy;

63.

Notes the importance of the EU-OPEC energy dialogue and encourages the Commission to intensify the energy dialogue with Norway;

64.

Welcomes the Commission's intention to revise Directive 2006/67/EC of 24 July 2006 imposing an obligation on Member States to maintain minimum stocks of crude oil and/or petroleum products (codified version) (16) and proposes the publication of weekly rather than monthly data as at present to render the market transparent and avoid a disproportionate reaction to the American situation;

65.

Notes the failure of the Member States to demonstrate solidarity, with regard to increasing the amount of gas available to the affected Member States during the recent gas crisis between Ukraine and Russia; urges the Council and the Commission to create a solidarity mechanism, in accordance with the Treaty of Lisbon, which would allow the EU to act efficiently, swiftly and coherently in crisis situations caused by disruption of supply, damage to critical infrastructure or any other such event;

66.

Welcomes, in the light of the above-mentioned gas crisis that afflicted the Union's territory, the Commission's intention to improve the framework of Council Directive 2004/67/EC of 26 April 2004 concerning measures to safeguard security of natural gas supply (17) and calls on the Commission to propose amendments to this Directive before the end of 2009 along the lines proposed in its above mentioned Communication COM(2008)0769;

67.

Stresses that the key elements of the revision of Council Directive 2004/67/EC should contain mandatory and effective national and EU emergency action plans, which among other things define a common declaration of an emergency situation, allocation of available supplies and infrastructure capacity among the affected States, coordinated dispatching, activation of emergency measures in unaffected or less affected States in order to increase the amount of gas available to the affected markets using all means possible, including, among others, interruptible contracts, fuel switching, storage withdrawal and supply flexibilities for example; considers that it is essential to improve the functioning of the market through transparency and increase the availability of gas in the market; calls on the European Union and its Member States to develop gas storage with fast-release capacity;

68.

Proposes that information technologies should be used better for total or partial cut-offs in the event of a crisis, and considers, for this purpose, that under the supervision of the regulator, a system capable of reducing consumption in response to a collective decision could be introduced;

69.

Considers that improving energy efficiency by at least 20% by 2020 is the priority in contributing to sustainable development and competitiveness objectives and is also the most effective and cost-efficient way of improving energy security; calls therefore on the Commission and Member States immediately to adopt a legally binding energy efficiency target of at least 20% by 2020; calls on the Commission and Member States to step up awareness campaigns and make practical information available concerning the energy efficiency solutions to be adopted and also to promote energy education and training programmes in schools and universities throughout the Union;

70.

Stresses the importance of rigorous and timely implementation and enforcement of energy savings and energy efficiency legislation by Member States and the Commission; stresses the importance of adopting mandatory public procurement measures at the Community and national levels in order to stimulate the demand for innovative products and services that will enhance energy efficiency; calls therefore for an ambitious approach in forthcoming legislation relating to energy savings and energy efficiency (in particular in the building, industry and transport sectors and as regards urban planning and appliances);

71.

Welcomes the Commission's intention of observing carefully the progress of combined heat and power (CHP), and calls on the Commission to submit further support measures as part of the review of the energy efficiency action plan in 2009; reminds the Commission that savings on primary energy, cost efficiency and security of supply are the principal aims of the CHP process, irrespective of what technology is used; considers that it must be left to the market to develop and select the most effective technologies; advocates the development of a promotion and financing strategy for infrastructure such as heating and cooling networks using local resources such as geothermal energy and cogenerated heat, for example;

72.

Supports the International Partnership for Energy Efficiency Cooperation, to promote more uniform standards and encourage ambitious worldwide objectives;

73.

Calls for more efficient use of oil, particularly in the field of transport, which is the main sector in which this fuel is used; calls for the adoption of ambitious medium-term objectives (for 2020) for vehicle fuel efficiency, while encouraging Member States to seek alternative fuels and propulsion technologies, for example electric engines, for goods and individual passenger transport, particularly in urban areas; considers that achieving a significant modal shift in transport towards more environmentally friendly options, for instance from private individual road transport to public transport, should be a key component of the Union's strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector;

74.

Considers that a ‘frontrunner’ approach for vehicles from the European car industry would help to win back international markets, particularly from Asian producers;

75.

Regrets that rail accounts for only 10% of European goods transport; calls on Member States to make better use of rail transport and waterways; calls for more determined efforts to establish the optimal combination of rail, water and road transport;

76.

Stresses the importance of adopting the necessary mix of policy measures so as to improve the energy efficiency both of existing and new electric appliances;

77.

Considers that renewable energies, such as wind, biogas, solar, hydro, biomass, geothermal and marine resources, are the most important potential sources of energy available to the European Union, which can help to stabilise energy prices and combat increasing energy dependence, and welcomes the initiative to submit a communication on eliminating obstacles to renewable energies; stresses in this context that any new initiative should not lead to a postponement of existing projects;

78.

Considers that exploiting indigenous fossil resources, in particular onshore and off-shore natural gas fields, may contribute to enhancing Europe's energy independence and must be developed where available, in compliance with national and European environmental legislation; calls on Member States and the Commission to find the right regulatory balance between environmental safeguards and production opportunities in the Union's territory both inland and off-shore;

79.

Recalls that, given the constantly flowing nature of renewable sources, it is essential to boost electrical interconnection capacity at Community level, while paying special attention to those Member States and regions which are most isolated within the Union energy market, with a view to equipping Member States with the means necessary to meet the 20% renewables target by 2020;

80.

Calls on the Commission, Member States and local authorities to revolutionise relations between the agriculture and energy sectors by means of a plan designed to equip the roofs of agricultural installations with renewable energy devices such as solar panels; calls on Member States and local authorities to provide local incentives for the use of used oils and sustainable local biomass resources, while ensuring an appropriate balance between energy crops and food crops;

81.

Urges the Commission to submit a report to Parliament indicating the technical obstacles and standards which impede investment by SMEs in energy production and their use of the existing networks to distribute the energy so produced;

82.

Calls on the Commission to increase the priority assigned to R&D in electricity storage, ICT-based linkup of distributed generating facilities (‘virtual power plants’), smart grids and increase of infrastructure capacity to enable priority connection of renewable energies;

83.

Calls on the Commission to redefine European development aid policy, incorporating a new energy pillar; considers in this context that solar power station projects for North Africa should be primarily intended to meet local needs;

84.

Recalls that both lignite and coal remain an important transitional element in the energy mix and in the Union's security of supply, due to large domestic reserves, as an alternative to oil and gas; stresses however that its CO2 emissions are higher than other primary energy sources; calls therefore for the reduction of such emissions by means of the modernisation of power-stations through CCS technologies and calls in that context on the Commission to consider all financial possibilities to build the 12 demonstration projects by 2015;

85.

Acknowledges that admixing biomass for burning in modern coal-fired power stations is already achieving 45% efficiency, and that efficiency levels as high as 90% can be achieved using CHP; therefore calls on the Commission and the Member States to establish incentives for increasing the admixture of biogenic fuels in fossil-fuel-fired power stations;

86.

Endorses the Commission's analysis that it is important to maintain the contribution of nuclear energy in the energy mix, and to that end to promote without delay the establishment of a harmonised regulatory and economic framework facilitating the necessary investment decisions; calls on the Commission to draw up a specific road map for nuclear investments; considers it imperative to launch a debate within society, without prejudging the outcome, on the safe use of this source of energy; calls on the Commission to promote, as an integral part of European Neighbourhood Policy, the adoption by neighbouring countries of the acquis communautaire in nuclear safety every time a new nuclear plant is planned or an old plant is upgraded in these countries;

87.

Recalls the significance of nuclear energy, which is produced in 15 out of 27 Member States and used by an even greater number, and which meets around one-third of electricity demand in the European Union; also recalls the six new reactors currently under construction in four Member States;

88.

Stresses the competitiveness of nuclear energy, which is largely unaffected by fuel price fluctuations owing to the small proportion of generating costs that the fuel, uranium, represents;

89.

Stresses that the European nuclear industry is the world leader in all nuclear cycle technologies, particularly enrichment, which contributes significantly to the Union's security of supply;

90.

Welcomes the Commission's generally supportive stance regarding nuclear energy; points out, however, that it does not adequately address the issue of final disposal of radioactive waste, despite its immense importance for public perception; calls on the Member States concerned to step up their efforts with regard to resolving the problem of final disposal of all types of radioactive waste, but especially highly radioactive waste;

91.

Considers it essential to reassure the Union's citizens that, in the Union, nuclear energy is used safely and transparently, and at the highest technologically possible level of safety particularly as regards the management of nuclear waste; welcomes the above-mentioned Commission proposal for a Council directive setting up a Community framework for nuclear safety; calls on the Council and Commission to develop models and procedures jointly with the International Atomic Energy Agency to prevent the peaceful use of nuclear energy leading to the proliferation of nuclear weapons;

92.

Stresses that neither in its Revised Illustrative Programme nor in the strategic review has the Commission examined the likely development of nuclear technology by 2050, as suggested in the reference document of the Sustainable Nuclear Energy Technology Platform, or the position assigned to the ITER controlled fusion project;

93.

Calls on the Commission and Member States to devise a European energy policy which will permit a massive conversion to energy efficient and low carbon emission energy technologies to meet the needs for energy consumption; stresses that, if energy efficiency and energy saving remain a priority, as does the continued development of renewable energies, it will be possible to meet energy needs from low-emission sources by 2050;

94.

Reminds the Commission and Member States that steering the transition towards a highly-efficient energy system will imply a systemic approach based on synergies between different sectors; underlines the key importance of assessing all measures on the basis of their contribution to decrease CO2 emissions; believes that to that end the development of local integrated solutions should be a priority;

95.

Considers the global and European long-term energy and climate change challenges as a unique opportunity to enable new business models across the economy in order to boost green innovation and entrepreneurship;

96.

Calls on the Commission to perform feasibility studies of projects to develop wind power platforms in the North Sea and the project to build solar power stations in Africa;

97.

Approves, as part of the Strategic Energy Technology Plan, the drawing-up of a political agenda for 2030 and a road map for energy policy in 2050; calls on the Commission, therefore, to assess trends in the composition of the energy mix under several scenarios, in the light of the development of energy demand, potential energy resources, environmental impact, the estimated price of energy and CO2;

98.

Calls on the Commission to ensure that the roadmap make it possible to direct energy technology research and development as well as education in order to reduce the cost of renewable energies, and energy storage, to ensure the success of fourth-generation nuclear reactors and CCS and notably to find an alternative to oil for transport, while highlighting solar energy, which is an infinite resource;

99.

Recalls the need constantly to encourage research into transmutation of nuclear waste and nuclear fusion as a source of energy in the very long term;

100.

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and Commission as well as to the parliaments and governments of Member States.