The high-level group on Competitiveness, Energy and Environment is a follow up to the Commission's October communication on industrial policy. The experts' group consists of four commissioners, four Members of the European Parliament, four Council representatives and 18 representatives from civil society (industry, NGOs, trade unions, consumer groups and national regulators - 17 men and 1 woman).
The group is mandated to examine the integration of the EU's competitiveness efforts (the Lisbon reforms for growth and jobs) with the long-term sustainability objectives of the Gothenburg sustainable development strategy. It will give advice on issues such as the upcoming Energy Green Paper, the revision of the EU's emissions trading scheme, the implementation of the thematic environmental strategies, or the drive towards eco-innovation.
Next to Commissioners Verheugen, Kroes, Dimas and Piebalgs, some well-known names in the group are Austrian Economy Minister Bartenstein, German Economy minister Glos, UK Secretary of State Alan Johnson and Finnish Trade Minister Mauri Pekkarinen. For the industry, UNICE President Seillière will be joined by, amongst others, Lafarge President Collomb and Anne Lauvergeon, chairwoman of Areva. The green groups EEB (Mikael Karlsson) and WWF (Director general James Leape) as well as the President of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development Stigson form the NGO delegation. John Monks will speak for the trade unions and Gert Zijl of the Dutch Competition authority for consumers.
Last week (15 February), the Greens in the European Parliament had criticised the "unbalanced" compositions in the group (see EurActiv 15 Feb). They got support from the other groups' presidents as the parliament's Conference of Presidents refused to nominate the four MEPs for the high-level group.
