Greenhouse gas emissions to be reduced and the use of renewable energies increased

At their meeting in Brussels on March, the EU Heads of State or Government confirmed the EU’s independent commitment to achieve a 20% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 compared to 1990. The leaders also endorsed an objective of a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 provided that other developed countries commit themselves to comparable emission reductions.


Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Secretary General to Council Javier Solana and Prime Minister of Finland Matti Vanhanen. Picture: Council of EU

The European Council underlined the leading role of the EU in climate protection. Negotiations on a global and comprehensive post-2012 agreement need to be launched at the UN international climate conference in December 2007.

The meeting adopted a new Energy Action Plan for the EU with the aim of improving energy security, ensuring Europe’s competitiveness and the availability of reasonably priced energy, and promoting sustainable development.

As part of the Action Plan, the European Council agreed on increasing the use of renewable energies. The share of renewable energies is to be 20% of the EU’s overall energy consumption by 2020. Differentiated national targets are to be established on the basis of a Commission proposal to be issued later on this year.

The Union also endorsed a 10% binding minimum target for the share of biofuels in overall EU transport petrol and diesel consumption by 2020. The set minimum target applies to all Member States.






Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen and Minister of Finance Eero Heinäluoma at the Summit

From Finland’s point of view, the agreed solution takes sufficiently into account Member States' different starting points in the attainment of climate and energy targets. On Finland’s initiative, the cost effectiveness of the necessary further measures will also be taken into consideration in burden-sharing. In the negotiations, Finland has specifically emphasised that decisions on the choice of energy sources must be left to the Member States in the future too. At the meeting, the Commission affirmed that burden-sharing with regard to renewable energies will be agreed upon in cooperation with each Member State.

The second main topic of the European Council meeting focused on ways to give new impetus to the implementation of the Lisbon Strategy. The Heads of State or Government took note of the Commission's annual progress report, published in December 2006, assessing the implementation of the Community Lisbon Programme and National Reform Programmes. The European Council endorsed the Commission’s analysis whereby the Lisbon Strategy for Growth and Jobs is beginning to deliver results. The current positive economic developments must be fully used and, at the same time, it is important to continue the necessary structural reforms and the development of the internal market.

Press release by the Prime Minister's Office(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window)