Commissioner Oettinger concerned about the lack of dialogue between the wind energy industry and the Spanish Government and the impact of regulatory measures

The Commissioner meets with the Spanish and European wind energy associations and assures them that the Commission will monitor compliance with the EU directives

Madrid, June 17th, 2013.- The Spanish Wind Energy Association (Asociación Empresarial eólica – AEE), the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA), and APPA eólica (Spanish Association of Renewable Energy Producers, wind energy section) met with the European Commissioner for Energy last Thursday to communicate their discontent with the latest energy measures and the situation that they are being subjected to.

Oettinger showed his concern about the lack of dialogue with the Spanish Government regarding the coming energy reform and the impact of the latest regulatory measures in the industry. The Commissioner requested data about the economic impact of these measures on the sector and assured the industry representatives that his mission was to enforce compliance with the EU directives, including the ones concerning renewable energies. To the same extent, he underlined that investors need a «secure and clear» environment.

The three associations highlighted the successful history of the Spanish wind industry, which became an example for the European Union and the rest of the world thanks to its proper regulatory policy. This resulted in the orderly development of the sector without investment bubbles, always fulfilling the regulators»™ goals and producing a powerful industry at all levels of the chain of production.

Nevertheless, the latest measures taken by the Spanish Government «“ a 7% tax on electricity output and a retroactively applied Royal Decree, Law 2/2013 – have caused the loss of 15 wind power jobs per day and the closure of 9 plants, plus a loss of 600 million euro in the sector income so far this year (2013). These measures threaten investors»™ confidence in the possibility that Spain will fulfil the EU 2020 renewable energy consumptions targets.

Additionally, the associations emphasized that this regulation, which withdraws the feed in tariff system for wind power energy, contradicts the European Commission»™s policies related to the mechanisms which support renewable energies in the member countries, and which should increasingly respond to market signals in order to improve their efficiency.

According to the sector view, this Spanish regulatory mistake could spread to other European countries, leading to legal uncertainty and the non-fulfillment of the EU targets. Therefore, the companies in the wind energy sector consider that the Commission should take action on this matter.

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For more information:
AEE Communication Department
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