Tabling amendments with cross-party support to the text proposed by the European Commission last year, MEPs inserted national energy efficiency commitments designed to ensure the EU as a whole reduced its energy use by 20% by the year 2020. Under the proposal, Britain’s maximum primary energy consumption, excluding non-energy uses (such as transport) in 2020 would be 165.4 million tonnes of oil equivalent (mtoe), a minimum reduction of 48.1 mtoe.
The parliament’s plenary session is now expected to vote on the proposal on March 28, with EU ministers to discuss it informally on April 19-20.
Luxembourg Green MEP Claude Turmes, who tabled the amendments, said: “This is the only sure-fire way to ensure the 20% target is met and the win-win benefits of doing so are realised.” There was support too from EU energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger. “This is an important vote for our proposal, as the committee backs our choice of main drivers for saving energy,” he said.
The Commission’s proposals followed widespread criticism of earlier 2004 and 2006 legislation for lacking sufficient heft to force member states to reduce energy use.
By Keith Nuthall & MJ Deschamps