EU ministers agree to move to low carbon economy

STOCKHOLM, Oct.15 (Xinhua) — Ministers from the European Union Thursday agreed that the next Lisbon Treaty Cycle must be an integrated political framework to bring together the industry capability and the future of the European economy must be low carbon one.

"This is a step forward to the Lisbon Agenda. That has to be integrated now and the future of the European economy must be green in the sense of eco-efficient, energy-efficient and resource- efficient," Gunter Verheugen, commissioner of the European Commission, said at a press conference on Thursday during the Informal Competitiveness Ministers meeting in Umea, a northern city of Sweden, the current EU Presidency.

"The message is very clear that people want an agreement in Copenhagen, and we have a very ambitious climate and energy policy in Europe. We are pressing forward this process," said Maud Olofsson, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Enterprise and Energy of Sweden. Olofsson pointed out that there was an agreement that we should move to this direction(eco-efficient or low carbon economy). This is something new and also exciting for industry and politicians as it will create jobs.

She said that ministers also agreed on public private partnership, encouragement to small businesses and putting on CO2 taxes.

EU Ministers for agriculture, industry, energy, environment and transport sectors discussed the detailed proposals for eco- efficient economy. The results of the meeting will be discussed again in December at the European ministers council and the European Council meetings for the follow up of the Lisbon Treaty.(PNA/Xinhua) ALM/ebp

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