EU warns six members over renewable energy plans

Sep 30 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Ben Nimmo dpa, Hamburg, Germany

The European Union on Thursday warned Poland, Estonia, Belgium, Latvia, Hungary and Slovakia of legal action after they failed to draw up plans to boost their use of renewable energy.

To fight global warming, the EU has pledged to boost its use of non-polluting renewable energy, such as solar and wind power, to 20 per cent of total energy used by 2020. Within that overall target, each member state has its own legally-binding national goal.

All 27 EU states were meant to put forward detailed plans on how they intend to hit their targets by June 30, but the six members in question have not done so, European Commission energy spokeswoman Marlene Holzner told journalists in Brussels.

The commission has therefore sent them a written warning, the first step in a process which could lead to legal action, she said.

The national targets are based on each country's use of renewable energy in 2005. Poland's target is a 15-per-cent share of renewable energy by 2020. The target for Belgium and Hungary is 13 per cent, Slovakia 14 per cent, Estonia 25 per cent and Latvia 40 per cent.