EU Council press conference with the Foreign Secretary
9 March 2007
Tony Blair has described the European deal on the use of renewable energy sources as "groundbreaking, bold and ambitious". He was speaking at a press conference with the Foreign Secretary after the EU summit.
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Prime Minister:
Hello everyone. Let me give you some words on the conclusion of the European Council.
First of all I would like to pay a sincere and warm tribute to the German Presidency. This whole Summit has seen Europe embark on a bold and very ambitious programme on climate change. I think this will be enormously welcomed by the people and citizens of Europe and it is a true triumph I think for the German Presidency and for the German Chancellor and I thank her very much for the way that she has handled this whole issue. And there is of course some pride in our country as well because this agenda very much grows out of what we tried to do in our G8 Presidency in 2005, in our Presidency of the European Union in the latter half of 2005 where we put energy policy on the agenda for the European Union, and therefore it is tremendous to think that 18 months later we have what I think is an historic summit on this issue.
Can I just make three points about the conclusions. The first is that it also is very ambitious in respect of another British priority, which is better regulation, with the agreement by the European Union that there should be a 25% reduction in the administrative burdens arising from EU legislation. This again is something we are passionate about. We have now a 25% target in the UK, and for the European Union to come together with such an ambitious target is a very good thing and it indicates again incidentally the direction of European policy and along with a clear set of statements about modern labour market policy and about liberalisation and completion of the single market, it indicates the direction of European economic policy is now very much towards Europe opening up to the world.
The second thing is in relation to energy supply where there is a strong commitment given to energy liberalisation. Again we support that strongly.
And then of course the third area is climate change. Now in respect of climate change there are a number of targets that Europe has set itself. First of all, a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions for the European Union for 2020. If we can get a global agreement, and I hope we can because the up-coming G8 Summit in Germany is going to be the opportunity to try and get the framework for a new international agreement on climate change, and if we can get such an agreement then the European ambition steps up to a 30% cut in greenhouse gas emissions. There is then the 20% target on renewable energy. In respect of renewable energy in setting how each country contributes to that overall European target there will be the permission to look at the energy mix that countries have, including all sorts of technologies, including nuclear technology, which obviously helps the UK as well. And finally there is also a target too on bio fuels of 10%.
So these are a set of ground-breaking, bold, ambitious targets for the European Union. They will require an immense amount of work for Europe to secure this, but on the other hand what it does is it gives Europe a very clear leadership position on this crucial issue facing the world, and it gives us I think the best chance of trying to make sure that when we come to the G8 countries and the G8 Plus 5 process, which is the one we set up at Gleneagles, then we manage to get involved America, China and India as well as the European Union in tackling change.
So all in all I think it was a very important and as I say ground-breaking Summit.
One final thing on a completely different subject. I gather that when I was talking about Northern Ireland earlier, people may have thought I was casting some doubt on the 26 March date. I can assure you that date is in legislation and everything we said right at the very outset of the Northern Ireland election campaign holds good.
Question:
Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary, we have had some developments this morning to do with the British hostages in the Horn of Africa. The Ethiopian Foreign Minister has said in the last hour that the hostages are safe and well, but they are being held by unknown kidnappers. You know there has also been a report from Eritrea that one has been found. What can you tell us about the situation and what are you doing to bring these hostages back safely?
Foreign Secretary:
The only thing we can really tell you about the situation, we obviously are aware of these reports, we are looking into them, we have people on the ground, as you know, and we are in contact with all of the authorities in the region. Everyone is being very helpful and supportive and we are making every effort we possibly can to get these people back safely and as quickly as possible, and of course we are in touch with their families.
Question:
Do you believe what the Ethiopian Foreign Minister is saying, would you take that as being authoritative?
Foreign Secretary:
We have had indications that there are people who are saying the hostages are OK. Obviously the issue of where they are is still something that is having to be looked at.
Question:
On the question of the renewables target, I understand that the target has been agreed, but hasn't the hard work, which is working out how the burden should be shared across countries been rather kicked across into the long grass, because now the Commission has to do its work and then agreement has to be reached between all the member states later?
Prime Minister:
No, the process is this: We now have agreed the target of 20%, and yes the Commission then has to work out what the contribution of each member state should be, but the target is now agreed and all that remains to be agreed is how it is implemented and divided up between the member states, but that is the normal process that happens. And the important thing is that along with the target to cut overall greenhouse gas emissions by 20%, this is a major step forward for the European Union and will mean a big change in energy policy and in policy towards climate change. And incidentally it ties in perfectly, in my view, with the measures we will be announcing both in the Energy White Paper coming up and the Climate Change Bill that we will be dealing with next week. And I think for us as a country, both the measures we are taking on energy efficiency, on nuclear power, on renewables and on the changes we are making on overall energy policy and the permissions and help we are going to give for people and business to take action on climate change, I think there is now a complete synergy if you like between what Europe is trying to do and what the UK is trying to do in its domestic policy.
Question:
Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, I was wondering whether you could be as explicit as possible about your talks with allies about troop deployment in Afghanistan, particularly in the most dangerous provinces.
Prime Minister:
Well this obviously has been a subject that I have been discussing in the margins of the Summit. I don't want to go into detail on the conversations I have had, but there are some I think reasonably optimistic signs that certainly some of our colleagues recognise the importance of the collective effort in Afghanistan because it is of huge importance to the security of European countries, as well as to the wider world. And you know obviously these have been informal discussions I have had, but I have tried to impress upon people the need to make the maximum collective effort and I think it is understood that what is happening in Afghanistan is of fundamental importance to all of us.
Question:
This is the last summit of President Chirac, how did you find him?
Prime Minister:
As focused, and as energetic and Presidential as ever.
Question:
How do you see the future without him in the European construction?
Prime Minister:
I think that is a question probably best answered at a later stage.
Question:
Given the achievements over the last year as you have outlined on energy policy and climate change and deregulation, is it a matter of regret for you now that the Germans and other countries want to get back into the nitty-gritty of talking about institutional change, deeper integration, revival to some extent of the constitution?
Prime Minister:
It has always been envisaged that at some point after the French and Dutch 'No's' you would come back and discuss these issues, but this hasn't really been an issue for this summit, and incidentally won't be around the Berlin Declaration either. It was made very clear that the June Summit is the time that these issues will be discussed and I wouldn't draw any conclusions if I were you about what the outcome of those discussions will be.
