By Martin Banks - 25th January 2011
If we continue at the current pace, we will only reach 50 per cent of this target
Gunther Oettinger
EU commissioner Gunther Oettinger has outlined an ambitious programme designed to boost the EU's energy role.
Speaking on Tuesday, the German official also said he was "confident" next week's summit of EU leaders will "send a clear signal to accelerate energy efficiency targets".
Oettinger, who is responsible for energy policy, detailed a five-point "action plan" which he believes is necessary to increase European growth and competitiveness in the energy sector.
This includes a bigger commitment to reduce energy consumption, particularly important as worldwide demand for energy is expected to rise by 30 per cent by 2035.
Failure to do so, he says, will lead to "conflict" in some parts of the world and a "sharp rise" in energy prices.
Another proposal, said Oettinger, is to "mainstream" energy efficiency into all EU policies.
He said that, currently, member states were "seriously lagging behind" the EU's target of a 20 per cent reduction in energy use by the year 2020.
"If we continue at the current pace, we will only reach 50 per cent of this target," he said.
To help achieve the so-called 2020 targets he has proposed "mandatory energy efficiency" criteria in all member states.
Also included in his action plan is what he calls a "fully integrated" energy market.
"Currently, the energy landscape remains fragmented. For example, the gas crisis in January 2009 would not have happened and people would not have stayed cold if we had a fully-functioning internal market."
"To some degree we need pan-European harmonisation of the energy markets. My aim before the end of the current commission's mandate should be to remove all technical barriers to this.
"Some member states still rely on a single source of energy so we also have to ensure that all EU countries are fully connected."
Oettinger, who was addressing a European Policy Centre breakfast briefing in Brussels, called for modernisation of the energy infrastructure and said energy issues should be given more "prominence."
He hopes the special EU summit in Brussels on 4 February, which will focus on energy issues, will "send a clear signal" of the EU's intent to increase efforts to meet its energy efficiency targets.
"I also hope it will set a deadline for the removal of all technical barriers for the completion of the single market in energy," said Oettinger.
