2 December: Energy Council

Date: 09/12/1999

EU energy ministers said they supported moves to encourage the consumption of electricity generated by wind, solar and other renewable energy sources, but emphasised that planned new rules must take into account different situations in individual member states. Energy Commissioner Loyola de Palacio said she would seek to promote a significant increase in the use of renewable energy while ensuring that such measures were compatible with a well-functioning single electricity market. Ministers, especially those from Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands and the UK, asked the Commission to present its long-delayed proposal for a renewable energy directive as soon as possible.

Several delegations stressed the need to press ahead with liberalisation of member states' electricity markets to ensure fair competition. Ministers called on governments and national regulators to “proceed speedily” with market-opening and to come forward with concrete and viable proposals to remove remaining barriers to competition. The call came after the European Commission launched infringement proceedings against France and Luxembourg last month for failing to move ahead quickly enough in opening up their markets.

Ministers endorsed a Commission proposal which seeks to make fluorescent lighting more energy efficient. The plan aims to achieve annual electricity savings of 12 billion kilowatt-hours and a 6 million metric tonne reduction in annual carbon dioxide emissions by 2020. The European Parliament is expected to vote on the proposal in mid-January.