EU energy ministers have presented their views on the future direction of the EU?s energy policy in contributing to the strategic decisions that will be taken in the European Council meeting next March. The transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council in Brussels on November 23 was chaired by Minister of Trade and Industry Mauri Pekkarinen and focused on energy efficiency and renewable energy.

Yesterday, the ministers held an open, constructive discussion over dinner on the developing EU energy policy and the choice of energy sources (energy mix). Minister Pekkarinen concluded that an agreement had been reached on the need to increase Europe?s self-sufficiency and reduce its dependency on external energy sources. Renewables and bioenergy - including liquid biofuels - and energy efficiency will play a central role in this. Agreement was also reached on the need to reduce CO2 emissions. Both the EU?s own actions and collaboration with other countries were emphasised.

"As today's adoption of Council conclusions on energy efficiency shows, EU energy ministers are committed to improving energy efficiency. After all, energy efficiency is viewed as having the greatest potential for delivering CO2 reductions in global terms," says minister Pekkarinen.

In its recently published Energy Efficiency action plan, the Commission estimated that, by 2020, it would be technically and economically feasible to improve energy efficiency in the EU by 20 %. According to the Council's conclusions, in order to achieve this the EU must focus on the following:

- Exploiting the huge energy-efficiency potential of transport. - Improving and expanding the scope of minimum efficiency requirements for energy-using equipment, for which global co-operation will be necessary.- Improving the energy-efficient and energy saving behaviour of all energy consumers.- Using R&D instruments at European, national and regional level, such as the Seventh Research Framework Program.- Continuing the implementation of the Buildings Directive in order to improve energy efficiency of housing.

"Major investments in energy production are needed throughout Europe. This is a challenge but also an opportunity for renewable energy," states minister Pekkarinen. An indicative overall target for the share of renewable energy in the EU was widely supported by the energy ministers.

Targets are necessary but not by themselves sufficient to produce results. Therefore the energy ministers agreed that additional effective measures for the promotion of renewable energy were needed. R&D and financial arrangements were cited as constituting such measures.