Andrea Brentan, CEO of Endesa, and President Borja Prado attended the
meeting of EU energy ministers, held in Seville January 14 to 17, in parallel
to the meeting of Environment Ministers.
The meeting of energy ministers and executives of the major European energy
companies will focus on discussion of the various sections of the 2010-2014
Action Plan, from sustainable energy and climate change, through security of
supply and the strategic plan for energy technology developed by the European
Commission.
The meeting will also assess, following the disappointing results of the
Copenhagen conference on climate change, the possible increase of the European
emissions reduction target from 20% to 30%, regarding which EU Commissioner, in
charge of climate, former Danish Minister Connie Hedegaard, invited the Union
to be "cautious". "I have always been favourable to 30% as our
goal, but I think for tactical reasons it is best to proceed with caution,
given the results of Copenhagen, and keep the increase as an option", said
Hedegaard. "I think with this approach we will have a greater chance of
obtaining more from our partners", commented Hedegaard, who as Danish
climate Minister chaired the first part of the Copenhagen Conference.
Another crucial issue will be to develop an adequate infrastructure to
support the electrical connection of renewable race, the central theme of the
renewable energy plans which the various Member States are to deliver in June,
as scheduled in the climate and energy package. The 27 countries will also
debate on upcoming commitments on energy efficiency.
The Spanish Minister of Industry, Tourism and Trade Miguel Sebastian chaired
the meeting. The Spanish Presidency aims, in these six months, to improve the
security of energy supply by diversifying sources and developing trade between
countries. By next June, the European Union should establish a plan for
improving renewable energy management.
