Ambassador Bruton Testifies on EU Energy Policy Before the Senate Finance Committee.WASHINGTON -- In testimony today before the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, Ambassador John Bruton outlined the European Union's energy policy objectives. "Although EU energy policy is far from being created from scratch - a number of energy efficiency and renewables promotion measures date back more than 10 years - it is just recently that the EU has opted for a comprehensive, integrated and ambitious policy set in the field of energy and fight against climate change," said Ambassador Bruton, Head of Delegation of the European Commission European Commission, branch of the governing body of the European Union (EU) invested with executive and some legislative powers. Located in Brussels, Belgium, it was founded in 1967 when the three treaty organizations comprising what was then the European Community to the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. , in testimony submitted to the Senate Committee. Ambassador Bruton detailed a number of European Union European Union (EU), name given since the ratification (Nov., 1993) of the Treaty of European Union, or Maastricht Treaty, to the European Community policies aimed at curbing greenhouse gas greenhouse gas n. Any of the atmospheric gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect. greenhouse gas emissions and limiting energy dependency. They include energy taxation, the EU emission trading scheme, and sustainable coal technologies. "The EU's increasing dependency on imports threatens not only its security of supply but it also implies higher prices," said Ambassador Bruton. "If, for example, the price of oil rises to $100 per barrel in today's money, the EU's energy import bill will be around 50 percent higher by 2030. While Europeans would have to pay a lot more for their energy, few additional jobs in the EU would be created this way. In contrast, boosting investment in energy efficiency, renewable energy Renewable energy utilizes natural resources such as sunlight, wind, tides and geothermal heat, which are naturally replenished. Renewable energy technologies range from solar power, wind power, and hydroelectricity to biomass and biofuels for transportation. and new technologies has wide-reaching benefits and would contribute to the EU's strategy for growth and jobs." Noting that the European Union's energy situation is alarming even though it might be worse in the United States, Ambassador Bruton said it is clear "Othat in order to ensure a sustainable, secure and competitive energy supply, a common response is needed." Senator Max Baucus Max Sieben Baucus (born December 11 1941) is the senior United States Senator from Montana and is a member of the Democratic Party. Baucus is currently chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Finance and 10th Longest-serving current Senator. (D-Mont.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, held today's hearing entitled "Clean Energy: From the Margins to the Mainstream." Senator Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) attended the hearing along with Senators Jeff Bingaman Jesse Francis "Jeff" Bingaman Jr. (born October 3, 1943) is the junior U.S. Senator from New Mexico. He has been in the Senate since 1983 and is a member of the Democratic Party. Bingaman was Attorney General of New Mexico from 1978 until his election to the U.S. (D-NM), Deborah Stabbenow (D-Mich.) and Ken Salazar (D-Colorado). The full text of Ambassador Bruton's submitted testimony is available at: http://www.eurunion.org |
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