Tag: Energy and competitiveness

A draft 'EU 2020' strategy proposal has come under attack for failing to offer a road map to green growth, despite rhetoric on the importance of gaining a competitive edge in environmental technologies.

Ten leading European research institutes have joined forces to expedite the development of new cleaner technologies to steer the EU towards achieving its ambitious energy and climate change agenda.

The merger of French energy companies Gaz de France and Suez has created a new national 'champion', triggering accusations of protectionism from some of the country's neighbours. But the Commission expects the new giant to respect its obligations under EU competition law.

While delegates from over 190 nations meet in Bali to set a negotiating framework for a post-2012 global regime to reduce CO2 emissions, Europe's energy intensive industries have expressed concerns about how they will fare in a new world order with a potentially high carbon price tag. 

The Commission announced the opening of antitrust procedures on 26 July against the leading French energy company, EDF, and the Belgian branch of Suez, Electrabel - saying that it suspected both energy providers of foreclosure of the Belgian and French electricity markets. 

With business confidence back at a high, now is not the time for complacency, Commission President José Manuel Barroso told the European Business Summit, announcing that talks on a transatlantic single market will be launched at an EU-US meeting in April.

A high-level group advising the Commission on energy issues has recommended phasing out environmentally harmful subsidies, as EU leaders prepare to endorse proposals for a common energy policy at a summit in Brussels on 8-9 March.

The EU's anti-trust chief has reiterated her plea for 'ownership unbundling', defying the French and other critics who claim that liberalisation is increasing the EU's vulnerability to suppliers that are willing to use oil or gas as a political tool.

A paper drafted for the Commission suggests taxing goods imported from countries that do not impose a CO2 cap on their industry as a way to compensate for the costs of climate- change measures.