European Parliament
Andreas Mölzer (NI ).
(DE)
Mr President, I would like to take this opportunity to state why I have felt unable to vote in favour of the Vidal-Quadras report. As long ago as 1997, the EU took the decision that it would increase the proportion of its energy drawn from renewable sources to 12% by 2010. It would appear, though, that the best we are likely to manage is an increase to 8%. These figures make the likelihood of successfully achieving the goal we have set ourselves – a saving of one-fifth of current energy consumption by 2020 – rather doubtful.
Instead of constantly topping up the funds for the EU’s nuclear research programme, we would, I believe, do better to put this money into the renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors, which promise much for the future.

