Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
A comprehensive survey published on Tuesday showed that European citizens support the energy policy pursued by the European Union over the past five years. Looking to the future, they expressed strong support for increased coordination at EU level, and for more efforts at European and national level to make energy affordable, as we continue the transition to clean energy and ensure our energy independence.
A statement from the Commission’s headquarters in Brussels said: “A large majority of respondents (77%) believe that the EU should play a greater coordinating role in energy, depending on the different circumstances. 79% of respondents believe that our climate goals will boost job creation and attract investment in clean energy. 76% believe that our policy will reduce dependence on energy imports, and 69% believe that it will reduce energy bills for households and businesses. When asked to name EU policies over the past five years that have brought added value to Member States, 35% highlighted support for investments in renewable energy, and 27% said the EU has delivered added value by investing in innovative energy technologies. Meanwhile, 25% said Europe has helped make energy prices as affordable as possible, and others said it has made it easier for consumers to choose their energy supply (24%), or low-energy products (18%). When asked specifically about the European Energy Label, three-quarters of respondents (75%) said it has influenced their choice when buying an appliance over the past five years. More than three-quarters of those surveyed (77%) say they have taken personal initiatives, significantly changing their habits to consume less energy at home over the past five years. Concrete responses to measures adopted by citizens show that the Commission’s renewal wave is gaining momentum across Europe. Looking ahead, when asked to choose from a list of policy options to achieve climate neutrality, a majority of respondents believe that the EU should encourage Member States to focus on measures to help households in energy poverty (53%), reduce energy consumption (50%) or help citizens produce or consume energy from renewable sources (50%).