Renewables trialogue negotiations : EU renewables legislation being held ransom by Italy
The latest round of negotiations between the European Parliament and the Council on new legislation under which 20% of EU energy will come from renewable sources by 2020 ended early this morning without a final result. Agreement foundered on the issue of a 'review clause', a provision being insisted upon by Italy, which would open up the content of the legislation to revision in 2014.
Commenting on the negotiations and the position of the Italian government, EP draftsman and negotiator Luxembourg Green MEP Claude Turmes said:
"Today we should be celebrating an agreement on new EU rules for renewable energy. Instead, we are facing more negotiations because of the intransigence of one member state: Italy. Italy's stance risks undermining Europe's energy future and jeopardises tens of thousands of much-need jobs. The real irony is that Italy, which is home to leading renewable energy firms (1), also stands to lose out by not having this legislation agreed.
"After intense and difficult negotiations, we have reached agreement on all aspects of the proposed legislation except an Italian proposal, which would throw the whole legislation open to review in 2014. This 'review clause' flies in the face of good lawmaking and would risk completely undermining crucial investor confidence and certainty in renewables.
"With more negotiations scheduled at ambassador level tomorrow, we appeal to the Council and to Italy in particular to urgently come forward with proposals to overcome this blockage, so we can sign off on this crucial legislation for Europe's energy future."
On the question of the controversial biofuels target in the renewables directive, Claude Turmes continued:
"The Greens have always been and remain opposed to any binding target for biofuels. Despite all the evidence on the environmental and social damage the production of these fuels causes, a majority within the Council and the EP is intent on maintaining a target for renewables in transport for the time being. While this undoubtedly casts a shadow over the legislation, I am glad we have ensured that this will be subject to a review in 2014.
"We have also succeeded in strengthening the criteria designed to safeguard against the damaging impacts of biofuels. The 2020 target now applies to all renewable energy used in transport, so electric vehicles (generated from renewable sources), as well as trains, can be accounted. Together with non-food/feed biofuels, this would account for over 4/10s of the 10% target. This means the contribution of food/feed agrofuels to the 10% target is substantially reduced. Crucially, we have also strengthened the so-called 'sustainability criteria', notably by ensuring that 'indirect land use' must also be taken into account (2)."
(1) There are a number of strong Italian renewables firms, including one that was selected to provide the solar technology at the Beijing Olympics.
(2) The European Commission will have to come forward with proposals in 2010 to limit indirect land use change: the indirect impact (on other land) caused by the diversion of the use of land to produce biofuels.
Further information on the trialogue negotiations can be found on the Greens' Stop climate change website.
