The Energy Union is already a reality, while 2020 renewables target are still on the track
Today, the 4th report on the State of the Energy Union was adopted, which shows how the European Commission has fully delivered an Energy Union strategy accessible, affordable, secure, competitive and sustainable energy for all Europeans. However, the EU is on track to meet its 2020 renewable energy target.
Europe has now in place the world’s most ambitious and advanced climate and energy framework as pointed out Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Cañete. But Europe “still have a long way to go. We need to keep up the deployment of renewable energy across Europe and step up efforts to save more energy. We must embark in a process of transformation with a much greater sense of urgency than I see today” added.
Beyond modernising European energy and climate policy, the Energy Union boosts the clean energy transition, in line with its commitments under the Paris Agreement, while ensuring a socially fair transition. Indeed, one of the political priorities of the Juncker Commission was building a resilient Energy Union with a forward-looking climate and energy policy.
Today’s report is accompanied by two documents showing progress made in renewables and energy efficiency. In parallel the Commission is also putting forward a report on the implementation of the strategic action plan on batteries and a communication for more efficient and democratic decision making in EU energy and climate policy.
The Energy Union has strengthened the internal energy market and increased the EU’s energy security by investing into new smart infrastructure (including, cross-border), providing a new state-of-the-art market design and introducing a cooperation mechanism between the Member States based on solidarity to respond to potential crises in a more effective and efficient manner.
“The Energy Union is Europe at its best: tackling together the big energy security and energy transition we can’t solve within national borders.” said Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič, in charge of the Energy Union.
Source: http://europa.eu