Leading S&D MEPs today strongly condemned the European Commission’s proposed new 2030 energy efficiency target.
The Commission has proposed a new 30% energy saving target to be met by 2030, but has not proposed to make it binding, thus ignoring the lessons which should have been learnt from the existing 2020 target, whose indicative and unenforceable nature means it is most unlikely to be met.
Kathleen Van Brempt, the S&D vice-president in charge of sustainable development, described the target as "a missed opportunity" and deplored the lack of ambition by the European Commission.
According to Van Brempt:
"The Commission has ignored its own modelling which apparently showed that a 40% target could grow the economy at a rate of 4% a year, create an annual 3.15% boost in employment and massively cut fossil fuel imports by up to €500 billion annually". She also went on to question how the proposed target can be properly enforced "given that past experience shows us that only binding targets are taken seriously and are actually met."
Dan Nica, newly-elected S&D coordinator for the Parliament’s industry and energy committee, insisted that:
"If Europe is genuinely serious about increasing its energy security, particularly in light of events on its eastern borders, then we have no alternative but to prioritise energy efficiency, and it is deeply disappointing that the Commission has not listened to the European Parliament which voted just months ago for a 40% energy efficiency target. Such a target would cut gas imports by a massive 40%, saving billions and help tackle the growing problem of energy poverty."
