Towards the next EU Council: Cooperatives call for a citizen-based EU energy policy

From 23^rd to 25^thOctober, the European Council will take place in Brussels. Heads of State will meet to agree on the EU’s 2030 energy and climate objectives. In particular, they will have to decide on concrete targets and strategies with regard to CO2 emission reductions, the share of renewable energy and more concrete energy efficiency aims.

In preparation for the Energy and Climate objectives discussion, Cooperatives Europe released an energy policy briefing. With this document cooperatives call on the EU Heads of State to set more ambitious targets for the 2030 framework, to focus on reducing oil & gas imports by stimulating greater energy efficiencies and by increasing the share of renewable energies, and to put citizens at the heart of the EU’s energy policy.

Klaus Niederländer, Director at Cooperatives Europe, said: “Cooperatives Europe calls on the EU Heads of State to be more ambitious with regard to setting climate and energy targets for 2030. The next set of targets will be essential in making the energy transition really work and irreversible. Europe needs a strong vision in energy with EU citizens’ buy-in to create a sustainable and secure energy policy and to effectively combat climate change. Decentralised systems of renewable energy production and distribution through cooperatives will play their part in that.”