Energy puts Parliament and Council at loggerheads

摘要

At a second three-way meeting, on 16 April, negotiators from the Czech EU Presidency, the European Parliament and the Commission sought to move closer to agreement on the €5 billion economic recovery package aimed at boosting the economy and improving the EU's security of supply (see also page 1). The key issue for negotiators is what should happen to funds that are not committed by 1 September 2010. The EP's Industry Committee (ITRE) voted for these uncommitted funds to be "recycled" and invested in energy efficiency or renewablesrnother than offshore wind instead of being returned to member states. The Czech Presidency, however, argues that there is little room for manoeuvre as regards the Council's position as it was adopted by EU leaders at the 19-20 March European summit.