(Repeats to remove superfluous word from EU-CLIMATE tag)
By Marcin Grajewski
BRUSSELS, Feb 28 (Reuters) - European Union governments
raised a string of objections on Thursday to the bloc's flagship
plan on fighting climate change, promising tough negotiations on
carbon dioxide emission curbs and the use of renewable energy.
At an initial debate among energy ministers, most of the
EU's 27 member states said the blueprint for moving to a
low-carbon economy, as presented last month by the European
Commission, was a good starting point for talks.
But many raised questions over specific measures, such as
overhauling the EU's Emissions Trading Scheme or national
targets for the share of energy produced from renewable sources.
The Commission's proposals aim to implement targets set by
EU leaders last year to cut carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by at
least one-fifth by 2020 from 1990 levels, increase the share of
renewables in power production to 20 percent and boost the share
of biofuels used in transport to 10 percent by the same date.
"The Commission's proposal provides a good starting point
for our debate ... But it is essential that cost-efficiency is
at the heart of our discussions," said Shriti Vedera, Britain's
secretary of state for business and competitiveness.
Marco Stradiotto, an Italian secretary of state for energy,
said: "Energy efficiency was not given enough room in the
Commission's proposal.
He added there was a risk some industries would move out of
the EU as a result of the scheme unless an agreement with major
world powers was reached on curbing emissions of greenhouse
gases blamed for global warming.
APRIL 2009 TARGET
EU governments hope to clinch a final deal on the package by
April 2009 in negotiations with the European Parliament, but the
debate on Thursday showed talks would be tough.
Officials made few concrete demands at this stage, but the
Czech Republic and Poland criticised plans that would force
power plants to buy 100 percent of their emissions permits from
2013, when the overhauled Emissions Trading Scheme takes effect.
"Because of our energy mix ... we would like the scheme to
be phased in gradually," said Czech Industry Minister Martin
Riman, adding that otherwise "our electricity prices could rise
by several dozen of percent".
He said his country's target for renewable energy use, 13
percent, would be very difficult to achieve. Similar doubts were
voiced by Sweden and Greece.
Finland said it would not achieve its renewable energy
target if imports of lumber from Russia ended as a result, for
example, of high duties.
Some countries said provisions to ensure that biofuels are
produced without harming the environment should be sharpened.
Polish Economy Minister Waldemar Pawlak proposed creating
pan-EU rules for subsidising plants from which biofuels are
produced.
"Nobody is entirely happy with our proposals, but this is a
good sign, a sign that our proposal is a good basis for a
compromise," said a senior Commission official.
(Editing by Anthony Barker)
