MEPs prepare to fight over top energy and environment jobs

MEPs are battling for the prime jobs of drafting the European Parliament’s responses to the Commission’s energy and climate change proposals.

The centre-right EPP-ED looks set to take charge of the proposed revision of the emissions trading scheme, while Socialists are in line for a draft law on cutting carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from cars, as part of a carve-up of the jobs that is to be agreed next week in Parliament.

On Wednesday (20 February), the political groups will meet in Strasbourg to decide on who should steer the climate and energy laws through Parliament. The dossiers up for grabs include the revision of the emissions trading scheme, national ‘burden-sharing’ targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, carbon capture and storage, and reducing carbon emissions from cars.

The dossiers are distributed by the d’Hondt system, which takes account of the numerical strength of the groups.

As the biggest group in the Parliament and one with the most points stored up, the EPP-ED is well-placed to get its favoured dossier of the emissions trading scheme and to get the burden-sharing law. But who within the group might get the spoils is fuelling intense competition between Eija-Riitta Korhola (Finland), Karl-Heinz Florenz (Germany) and Anders Wijkman (Sweden) who want the position of rapporteur. Korhola takes a critical view of the current workings of the emissions trading scheme, endearing her to industry, while Wijkman is known for his green views, but according to sources inside and outside the EPP-ED group, they lack support.

Wijkman said: "I would imagine most of my priorities would coincide with most of the group’s preferences and with the Liberals’ and the Socialists’." Korhola said: "There are not many members in the Parliament who know the emissions trading scheme in detail [but] I am one of them."

Florenz is well placed, but some members from smaller countries within the EPP-ED are unhappy about Germany getting another top job. A German EPP-ED member - Peter Liese - was also responsible for writing a report on including aviation within the emissions trading scheme. Liese is touted as another possible contender.

The Socialist group wanted the ETS dossier, but appear ready to go for the draft law on reducing CO2 emissions in cars. A Socialist source said they were "disappointed with the Davies report", referring to a report drawn up by UK Liberal Democrat Chris Davies, which proposed giving car manufacturers more time to produce less-polluting cars. Dorette Corbey (the Netherlands) and Matthias Groote (Germany) have put themselves forward. Corbey is currently writing a report on the fuel-quality directive, which weakens her chances of getting another high-profile report.

For the ALDE group, Davies is a favourite to take charge of the carbon capture and storage dossier. "Realistically, this is the only report we can get" said one ALDE source.

The Green group is ready to use its points to ensure that Luxembourger Claude Turmes takes charge of the renewables dossier.

Which dossiers go to which groups will be announced on Wednesday (20 February), but the names of MEPs may take more time to finalise.

Members of the European Parliament are battling for the prime jobs of drafting the European Parliament’s responses to the European Commission’s energy and climate change proposals.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: EU proposes sweeping climate change fight http://www.europeansources.info/record/eu-proposes-sweeping-climate-change-fight-eu-outlines-ambitious-emissions-goals/

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