Memo: Questions and Answers on the Commission’s proposal for effort sharing

On 10 January 2007 the Commission adopted an energy and climate change package, calling on the Council and European Parliament to approve: an independent EU commitment to achieve a reduction of at least 20% in the emission of greenhouse gases by 2020 compared to 1990 levels and the objective of a 30% reduction by 2020, subject to the conclusion of a comprehensive international climate change agreement; a mandatory EU target of 20% renewable energy by 2020 including a 10% biofuels target.

With this independent commitment, the EU shows leadership in the fight against change, while at the same time showing its willingness to go even further in the context of an ambitious international agreement.

This strategy was endorsed both by the European Parliament and by EU leaders at the March 2007 European Council. The European Council invited the Commission to come forward with concrete proposals, including how efforts could be shared among Member States to achieve these targets.