EU 2020 Strategy – Energie-Cités reacts
By
Miriam Eisermann on 15 January 2010
The European Commission has recently published its “EU 2020 Strategy” which is designed as the successor to the current Lisbon Strategy.
According to Energie-Cités, proposing a medium-term EU strategy is a welcome initiative. However, except for the few new ideas that are put forward, we consider that this paper is lacking in stamina, enthusiasm and ambition and regret that it is not conducive to a renewal of practices commensurate with the stakes at hand. We cannot afford to end up with a remake of the Lisbon Strategy!
Energie-Cités is pleased to see the energy issue tackled in this paper, but criticises that
- an overall review of all sectoral policies in the EU and Member States is still missing
- demand-side actions are put in the background
- the “territorial cohesion” is not sufficiently taken into account
- the COP15 process is not mentioned
The Covenant of Mayors must be used as a successful multilayer governance test in the energy and climate field, and cities must be given their rightful place in it. Energie-Cités is ready to make proposals to this effect.
Globally, to make this strategy credible and effective, several conditions will have to be met:
- Europe must adopt a longer term vision (2030-2050)
- Europe must change its relations with the citizens, civil society and local institutions such as municipalities and regions.
- Europe must change its style and be more comprehensible.
Read Energie-Cités’ opinion paper
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