Assessing the impact the latest European Commission energy policy proposals could have on Europe’s poorest energy consumers, PES President Sergei Stanishev said:
“In the coming weeks hundreds of thousands of Europeans again will not be able to afford heating their homes properly. With the proposals entailed in the “Clean Energy Package” by Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic we are making a great step in the right direction to end energy poverty in Europe. Access to affordable energy is essential for full participation in our modern societies, and the European Commission acknowledges this.
“I am delighted to see the Clean Energy Package picked up many ideas the socialist and social democratic energy ministers presented in their declaration on energy poverty that was elaborated in close cooperation with the Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament; such as targeting energy efficiency measures for buildings to energy-poor households, rules for easier switching of energy providers, and empowering energy consumers through clearer energy bills and enhanced consumer information. Together we will work towards further strengthening these proposals in the forthcoming legislative process.”
The European Commission’s ‘Clean Energy Package’ was released on 30 November 2016 with a number of legislative proposals in order to establish the Energy Union. The Energy Union aims at creating a more integrated European energy market to make energy affordable for citizens and businesses, to make the EU independent from energy imports and to deliver clean energy for the fulfilment of the Paris climate agreement and the EU’s commitments to reduce its CO2 emissions by 40% until 2030.
