The European Union will require participating countries to make broader use of renewable energy

Maria Kniazeva. The summit of the EU in the night on Friday adopted a strategy for climate and energy until 2030, providing Required in General for the Union, increasing the share of energy from renewable sources until almost one third of the total volume of consumption, said the head of the summit, Herman van Rompuy.

the EU has been actively discussing the need to reduce the dependence of the Union on imports of energy, one of the largest suppliers of which is Russia. In addition, high-ranking European officials are in favour of the development of the energy Union, who shall make the EU more volatile, and the supplies from the Russian Federation.

" I am pleased to announce that the European Council reached agreement on the strategy for climate and energy between 2020 and 2030, " said van Rompuy at the press conference after the first day of the summit.


" The crisis in Ukraine and nespokojenost in the middle East showed how urgently and vitally important reduction of the energy dependence of the EU. We need to build a genuine energy Union, " added van Rompuy.

a large amount of Russian gas supplied in the European Union over Ukraine. Russia halted gas supplies to Ukraine in June because of its billion dollar debt for the consumed gas. Now the difficult dialogue between the Russian Federation and Ukraine, with the mediation of the European Commission, on the resumption of supplies and ensuring, thus, the possibilities uninterrupted gas transit through Ukraine to the EU the coming winter.

" contract (new strategy) is necessary for our security. It implies) reducing our emissions, increasing the use of energy from renewable sources and energy savings that reduces our dependence on imported fossil fuels from unstable or unreliable suppliers, " said European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, also present at the press conference.

According to van Rompuy, adopted in the night of Friday, the Strategy involves increasing the share of renewable energy in total energy consumption minimum to 27% in the whole EU by 2030 from the current supposedly 14%.

The strategy also provides for reduction in EU emissions of carbon dioxide by 2030, 40% in comparison with 1990. The Union already has a Strategy for reducing emissions by 2020 by 20% compared with 1990. Van Rompuy announces that its objectives are met.

" Mandatory reduction of CO2 emissions in the EU internal market is not an easy task. This goal is able to be achieved due to a significant transformation of all parts of society, " - said in its own statement, the European Commissioner for climate change Connie, Hedegard (Connie Hedegaard), noting that the decision was made, despite the economic uncertainty in the EU.

The strategy sets a goal and to increase energy efficiency. Another goal is to increase connections for the transfer of energy between countries within the EU. The strategy involves, for example, that each country of the Union will be able to 2030 to import or export to neighbouring States a minimum of 15% of the produced electricity.


sections: Politics