BRUSSELS: The European Union will today announce a new set of 'green energy' plans that it expects member nations to implement as a common energy policy. With mounting concerns about global warming, the Commission will propose targets such as lowering carbon dioxide emission levels to 20 percent below 1990 levels with a 2020 deadline.
Environmental campaigners have criticized the EU targets which are lower than what it expects industrial nations of the world to agree on - a 30 percent reduction; but the Commission did say it would deepen its own reductions if the developed countries achieve the target.
The EU will also call for increasing the use of biofuels and other renewable sources of energy.
The global benchmark for reducing greenhouse gas emissions was also criticized as “a political and scientific blunder" according to Greenpeace leader Mahi Siderou.
Ideas on the table include freeing competition among energy suppliers and reducing the EU's external dependence for oil and gas. A spokesperson for Energy Commissioner Andris Pielbalgs, said the new policy was designed around needs to combat climate change, reduce dependence on foreign suppliers of oil and gas and make the European economy more competitive.
The dominance of energy companies would also be checked in EU states. In some countries leading energy players would be required to split up their operation to separate generation from distribution to be regarded as two different businesses. This proposal is one among many EU ideas that are likely to be meet opposition.
Commissioners have also voted for stricter regulation in the 27-bloc EU to establish a well-connected internal market for power and fuel.
EU leaders will give their final consensus on the proposals at the summit in March.
