MEPs welcome October summit climate goals and demand solution to EU budget dispute - Main contents

Most of Parliament's political group leaders backed the climate and energy targets agreed at the 23-24 October EU summit, even though many had hoped for more ambition. In the last post-summit debate with out-going European Council President Herman van Rompuy, and the first with new Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, they also stressed the need to solve the EU's budget problems, raised concerns about the Ebola outbreak and asked for details of the planned €300 bn growth package.

The summit agreed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030, increase energy efficiency by 27%, increase the share of renewables to 27% and step up energy interconnections by 15%. The goals will be EU's starting point for international negotiations, aiming at a global agreement in Paris 2015.

REF. : 20141104IPR77203