EU Energy Commissioner Oettinger to EuroFora: Energy ST Research issues part of Competitivity pact ?

Scientific Research and Technologic Innovation on Energy could be part of €uroZone's and all EU's Competitiviy Pact, due to be decided by an exceptional Brussels' Summit on Friday, said to "EuroFora" EU Commissioner in charge of Energy, Gunter Oettinger from Germany, speaking after a Press Conference in EU Parliament in Strasbourg, just a few Days after Chancellor Merkel stressed that Germany's "High-Tech Strategy" is a key factor of EU's "Competitivity", in which "Innovation" should be included, as French President Sarkozy earlier observed at an earlier EU Summit, (See previous "EuroFora"s NewsReports from Brussels).

Among the particular Energy RST issues worthy "to examine" in future is also some Pioneer Scientists' surprising claim that research and innovation could succeed to transform in Future Fuel" and/or useful new "Materials" the polluting CO2 which is due to be captured and stored in Europe in order to fight against Climate Change, according to EU Commission's Plans to reduce CO2 pollution before 2050, as decided today in Strasbourg and presented by EU Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard, (Comp. Hedegaard's 2 long Replies to" EuroFora"s 2 Questions at her 1st ever Press Conference after the Copenhagen UNO Summit, (Comp. "EuroFora"s NewsReports from the spot).

Such moves could prove to be crucial for EU's Climate and Energy Plans, since the EU Commission CO2 Emission Reduction Roadmap "requires the large-scale introduction of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Technology, which "would increase Costs in Energy intensive Industrial sectors by more than 10 Billion € annualy in the Decade up to 2050", threatenin to "raise Competitiveness Concerns" "if Climate Action weren' taken Worldwide", provoking "Industrial ReLocation out of Europe", as Hedegaard's draft warns, unless something is done to prevent that.

    Questioned by "EuroFora" if he thought that Innovation on Energy Efficiency and a Lower Carbon Economy could be included in the "Competitivity Pact" due to be decided by an extraordinary €uroZone Summit on Friday in Brussels, Oettering appeared optimist :

    - "In some points" concerning "our Missions, (i.e. Energy for Oettinger, and Climate for Hedegaard), there is a good Cooperation here on Carbon (CO2) at working level".

    + Moreover "several of our proposals and our views are included in this Package", he observed.
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    - Inter alia, f.ex., concerning "some Scientists' belief that they could transform CO2, after it's captured and stored, into useful Materials or in some kind of Fuel in the Future",  EU Commissioner Oettinger agreed with "EuroFora"s suggestion : - "Yes, of course", this "could, indeed, be something interesting to examine. I'll check", he promissed.

    - Because "this might be in line with our (main) ideas, i.e. to innovate and modernize in order to have a new, more clean economy, f. ex. also on cars and other vehicles, etc", he observed, promissing to willingly consider ways to eventually participate personally to the forthcoming EU Parliament's STOA workshop on that issue, on the 22th of March.
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    - Meanwhile, the experienced President of EU Parliament's STOA (Scientific and Technological Options Assessment), Austrian ChristianDemocrat MEP Paul Rübig, Speaking to "EuroFora", pointed out that a relevant "Hearing" is "organised by the (EU) Commission on March 31" : Officially dedicated to "Carbon's Transfert", it could also "cover all" such related issues, including "also CO2 recycling", as Rübig told us.

    Such Moves could prove to be particularly useful, since key EU Climate Commissionner Hedegaard, who has just anounced an action plan until 2050, speaking briefly to "EuroFora" after learning about the Group of Scientists' initiative on "Co2 as Future Fuel", acknowledged that she "didn't know yet" anything about this technological possibility ! But EU's CCS Mega-Plans, "envisaged today, should (Timely) take into consideration that the CO2 shoud be retrieved from the Earth in Future" in order to be recycled into new Fuel and/or useful Materials, that Pioneer Group of Scientists warns. (See relevant "EuroFora""s recent Publication).

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 -  "Regarding the Competitivity Summit, on March 11, (German) Chancellor Merkel has just evoked, a few Days ago, inter alia, also a "High-Tech Strategy", which would be included among all other concerned Measures, such as Fiscal, Employment, etc., (French) President Sarkozy has also evoked the question of "Innovation", in Brussels' EU Summit, also in relation to Competitivity. Does EU Parliament support this kind of action in a sector (RST) which can be very important for EU's Competitivity in the Future ?", "EuroFora" asked.  

 - "I'd underline that EPP welcomes this High-Level Ambition, that our Heads of State and Government want to express, as regards raising  Competitiveness and Productivity and Convergence in the EU". "There are some Amendements which highlight also such a High Level of Ambition, for instance with regard into transporting the Growth and Stability Pact objectives into National Law, with regard to Employment's ambition, and with regards to the MacroEconomic Surveillance, where some indicators with regard to Competitiveness have to be taken into account", etc, she replied.

Meanwhile, it's also EU Commission's President, José Barroso, who, despite his well known demand for €uroZone's Competitivity Pact to follow the so-called "Community method", nevertheless,pointed out, in EU Parliament in Strasbourg, that "if Budgetary cpnsolidation and Structural reforms are essential for Comptetitiveness, Investment in sectors of importance forthe Future, like Research and Innovation, is just as necessary".

- "But it can't be fully separated, this Competitiveness (at a Global level) from the Legislative Package currently on the Table : (where) 2.000 Amendments are currently tabled !" she revealed. "We just entered into Discussion in this Parliament, and ... for us (MEPs) it's important to take a clear view, on how the Heads of States and Governments want to implement, this Competitiveness Pact. Our President pointed out that, for us, the Community Method is an important point, and,  where this Competitiveness affects the Legislative pack, there EU Parliament has its co-Legislative competence, and we shall have to discuss it during the upcoming Months" (.... ) Wortman - Kool warned.

+ Indeed,   as EU Parliament's President, Jerzy Buzek, pointed out to "EuroFora" :  - "Well, you know, this is a very, very important Issue :  We (EU Parliament) expect that we can go, Step by Step, with the Community method, for the Solutions on particular issues, particularly on Markets, etc., and it would be....important to have all 27 Member States, because 27 are responsible for the Common Market, etc", as the Polish MEP observed before Poland's forthcoming EU Chairmanship, from July 1st, 2011", (Comp. Polish Foreign Minister, Sikorsky's Replies to "EuroFora"s Questions).

- "So, it's a long, long way...", Buzek concluded, as things stand now, from his point of view.

However, at least as far as €uroZone core, big European Countries are concerned, the speed and volume of developments in the current World-wide Competition on the way out of the Global Crisis, obvioysly make it crucial to act fast and efficiently.

Therefore, it all looks as if those who attempt to delay EU, inevitably incite €uroZone to advance forward more resolutely and clearly... 

Will there be at least the beginning of an adequate reply at the forthcoming, original, EU and €uroZone Summit, Friday, March 11 in Brussels, (the 1st in History to be officially "double" or "composite", i.e. formed out of 2 different parts : One for al EU 27 focusing on  Mediterranean developments, and another, for €uroZone's 17, focusing on the Competitivity Pact) ?