European Union News - Energy

Getting to know whether in the future wood resources would be enough to satisfy human needs is one of the objectives set by the EU funded project EUWOOD, 'Real potential for changes in growth and use of EU forests'. Under this project, researchers also aim at showing new insight into the wood biomass supply.

Negotiations have begun for the 44 projects that were shortlisted to receive a share of the nearly 58 million euro available under the 2010 call for project proposals of the Intelligent Energy - Europe programme. These new projects are set to contribute to the wider use of renewable energy sources and increased levels of energy efficiency across Europe.

The European Commission published 22 December a report on indirect land use change related to biofuels and bioliquids, acknowledging that this pretice can reduce greenhouse gas emissions savings associated with biofuels, but also identifying a number of uncertainties associated with the available models. The Commission will make an impact assessment and take into consideration potential changes to the existing legislation.

Ministers meeting within the Competitiveness Council held in Brussels on 10 December adopted a decision aimed at facilitating the transition of the specific state aid regime currently applying for the coal sector to the general state aid rules applicable to all sectors in the EU. This Decision will extend under certain conditions the possibility to grant aids to coal mines until December 2018.

The European Parliament has voted on Plenary session in favour of extending the deadline proposed by the European Commission for granting aid to non-competitive coal mines. MEPs considered that the deadline should be extended until 31 December 2018, given the serious consequences especially for some EU regions of implementing these new rules.

The European Commission has presented on 17 November its energy infrastructure priorities for the next two decades. In the Communication, the Commission defines EU priority corridors for the transport of electricity, gas and oil, and outlines  a new method of strategic planning to coordinate and optimise energy network development on a continental scale.

The Court of Justice of the European Union has delivered its judgement in the case related to golden shares detained by Portuguese State in the company Energias de Portugal (EDP), declaring that  by maintaining in EDP special rights attributed to it by means of golden shares, Portugal has failed to fulfil its obligations in respect of the free movement of capital.

The Research, Industry and Energy Committee of the European Parliament has backed the proposal to reallocate more than 146 million Euro to finance energy saving, energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. Once endorsed by the Council, these funds which were not part of the European Energy Recovery Plan, will be available for regional and local authorities since 1 January 2011.

The European Commission has presented on 10 November its Communication “Energy 2020” setting the main objectives for EU energy policy over the next ten years. This strategy details the five top priorities, which will be the base for concrete legislative initiatives and proposals to be put forward by Commission within the next 18 months, and which will be on the agenda for the discussion by Heads of States and Governments at the very first EU Summit on Energy on 4 February 2011.