EU leaders must prioritise interdependent and sustainable energy and economic policies

With EU leaders set to both discuss the state of the European economy and aim to reach agreement on the EU's climate and energy policy up to 2030 at this week's summit, GUE/NGL MEPs have called on them to champion sustainable economic recovery and security of energy supply.
 

Speaking in a Parliament debate this afternoon on the EU summit, Cypriot MEP Neoklis Sylikiotis said: “The need to step up security of energy supplies boils down to the fact that energy is something that all people should have access to. So there should be no competition, because that only leads to wars and we should be striving for peace in Europe.”

He continued: “The Council should also condemn the actions of Turkey and the Turkish Foreign Affairs ministry which has threatened to enter Cyprus's Exclusive Economic Zone where prospections are going on. The EU should be showing solidarity with member states under threat.”

Greek MEP Dimitris Papadimoulis told the Commission and the Council that with “three million more now jobless in the EU, 25% of the population living in poverty, and the eurozone facing recession and deflation”, they should be “telling us what is going on behind closed doors rather than organising routine debates”.

Papadimoulis added: “You made comments about the Greek economy – is this linked to a new IMF programme or a memorandum? And what's going to happen to the French budget? The Council and Commission should come up with new solutions instead of always championing the position of the Merkel government. It's unsurprising that citizens have little faith in European policies amid so much recession, unemployment and inequality. We call for a more democratic Europe that prioritises jobs and economic growth.”

“I hope that growth, energy security and climate will be looked at together, because they are all interdependent and this interdependence is only briefly mentioned in the Juncker plan,” said Italian MEP Barbara Spinelli. “After years of destructive austerity, we need a genuine union for Europe and a citizens' initiative that must be spurred on by the Union itself.”