Friday 22 March 2013

EU threatens nations with huge fines for poor renewable efforts

The European Commission wants to impose huge fines on several of its member states for failing to put EU renewable energy laws into national legislation.

The Commission said yesterday it is referring Poland and Cyprus to the European Court of Justice for failing to transpose the Renewable Energy Directive, which demands the EU get 20% of its energy from renewables by 2020.

For Poland, the Commission proposes a daily penalty of €133,228.80 while the financial crisis-struck Cyprus is at risk of a lesser penalty of €11,404.80 per day.

Romania has also been referred to the Court for not “fully” including the renewable energy law, potentially getting a daily penalty of €30,228.48.

The fines are likely to be counted for every day between the Court’s final judgement until the laws are fully transposed.

Commissioner Günther Oettinger, the EU Energy Commissioner said: We are committed to reaching our energy and climate targets by 2020. To this end the enforcement of the renewable energy legislation in all the Member States is vital. Renewables are a solution to global climate change, European economic growth, and security of supply issues."