6.4.2022
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
C 152/127
Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive (EU) 2018/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Regulation (EU) 2018/1999 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Directive 98/70/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the promotion of energy from renewable sources, and repealing Council Directive (EU) 2015/652’ (COM(2021) 557 final — 2021/0218 (COD)) (2022/C 152/21)
Rapporteur: Christophe QUAREZ Co-rapporteur: Lutz RIBBE
Referral
European Parliament, 13.9.2021 Council of the European Union, 22.9.2021
Legal basis
Article 114, Article 194(2) and Article 304 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union
Section responsible
Transport, Energy, Infrastructure and the Information Society
Adopted at plenary
9.12.2021
Plenary session No
565
Outcome of vote (for/against/abstentions)
191/2/5
1.
Conclusions and recommendations 1.1.
The EESC welcomes the increase in the targeted share of renewable energy and is pleased to note that these targets focus on the industrial, transport and housing sectors.
Renewable energy policy is expected to deliver in three areas: climate change mitigation, energy security and economic development (job creation) but also requires legal certainty, which is being undermined by the fact that the revision is taking place only 2 weeks after the transposition deadline.
However, the EESC underlines that even the increased target is probably not in line with the Paris climate goals, let alone with the provision of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Chance to prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.
These dangerous interferences are already evident today, with an increase in global temperatures.
1.2.
The EESC draws the Commission’s attention to the synergy that is needed, between the existing regulations reviewed in the ‘Fit for 55’ package, as well as the new tools proposed, such as the Social Climate Fund or the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.
1.3.
The EESC considers it essential to ensure a level playing field between energy production sources, which requires ending fossil fuel subsidies, which are still increasing (1).
1.4.
The EESC points out that citizens, especially young people, must be at the heart of European energy policy and is therefore disappointed at the Commission’s lack of ambition when it comes to promoting and developing individual and community-based prosumerism, contrary to what was provided for in the Energy Union Communication.
1.5.
The EESC broadly supports the principles of responsible forestry defined in the proposal and suggests prioritising the use of forestry by-products and recycled wood products for bioenergy.
It also calls for support for bioenergy plants to be re-evaluated, with a view to redirecting biofuels towards transport, in particular where electrification poses problems, where they offer an alternative that is readily available at a reasonable cost, as further developed in points 4.9 and 4.20.
(1)
OJ L 328, 21.12.2018, p. 1.