Investments in CHP, energy efficiency and renewable energy is on hold after a vote in the plenary session in Strasbourg earlier today, where the European Parliament rejected the Commission’s highly debated proposal for “backloading”. Thus the European support for modernizing the energy sector has experienced a reversal. Now we have to focus on finding solutions, so that we do not end up with 27 national policies, says Ulrich Bang, director of European Affairs in the Danish Energy Association.

With the upcoming vote on the backloading proposal put forward by the Commission, several coalitions of interest groups and major companies are working towards the common goal of securing support for a real continuation of the ETS-system.

Denmark is a front runner in the energy revolution. As the only nation in the world, Denmark has a target of becoming independent from fossil fuels by the year 2050. This means that before 2020 we need to phase in 50 percent wind power in the electricity supply and already by 2035, we need to phase out coal from our power plants.

A majority of the Environment Committee in the European Parliament voted in favour of the Commission’s proposal on ETS earlier today and is thereby sending a clear signal to the 27 member states regarding the importance of supporting the European ETS. The decision strengthens the opportunities for a transformation of the European energy market.

Today a group of 30 European associations and companies is sending a strong signal demonstrating clear support for the EU ETS backloading proposal, which the Environment Committee in the European Parliament will make a crucial vote on, 19 February. The back loading proposal is part of a fix of the EU emissions trading system (ETS).