Coordination Time for EU policies on Energy Technologies and Innovation - New Communication from the Commission
On 2 May 2013 , the European Commission published yet another communication aimed to draw the lines of the future European low carbon strategy in the time-frame 2030/2050. Entitled Energy Technologies and Innovation ( COM(2013) 253 final ), this Communication looks at the manner the EU should coordinate its technology and innovation strategy in order to reach energy and climate goals. The need for new technologies The first question addressed by the Communication relates to the need for new technologies. The Communication starts with a straight YES, we do need new technologies because they are " vital to achieve all of the EU 2020 objectives in energy, climate, economic and social policy " (p.2). It reiterates here stances taken in two previous communications in 2007 and 2009, namely: Communication on SET Plan (COM(2007) 723) and Communication on Investing in low carbon technologies (COM(2009) 519). Although the need for technological innovation is continuous,...