The WG made the following statement in connection with its meeting in Bornholm 9-11 June:
The necessary transformation to a sustainable growth and improved energy efficiency requires easily available and affordable technologies and equipment for renewable energy generation, both in households and in enterprises. It is important to promote international cooperation on research and development on green technologies, and to find efficient models for manufacturing, trade and marketing that lowers the cost for the end consumers. The decision by the European Commission to impose punitive tariffs on Chinese-made solar panels (PV) is a step in the wrong direction. It constitutes an unfortunate protectionist measure that will reduce the availability of solar panels in the European market, increase the costs of the conversion to more sustainable energy systems, and delay the introduction of green technologies on a broad scale. The tariffs will therefore hamper the conversion to a greener society. Although the Commission claims that this is an anti-dumping measure, the tariffs will have negative consequences for the EU 2020 goals. This also underlines the importance of China joining the WTO and contributing constructively to the establishment of a level playing field and fair conditions for international trade.
Cecilie Tenfjord-Toftby, MP, Chairperson of the Working Group, Swedish Riksdag, Tony Asumaa, MP, Åland Islands Lagting, Karin Gaardsted, MP, Danish Folketing, Christina Gestrin, MP, Finnish Riksdag, Mariusz Orion Jedrysek, MP, Polish Sejm,
Siri Meling, MP, Norwegian Storting, Oleg Nilov, MP, State Duma of the Russian Federation, Jochen Schulte, MP, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Landtag, Maxim Shingarkin, MP, State Duma of the Russian Federation, Torsten Staffeldt, MP, German Bundestag, Sabine Steppat, MP, Hamburg Bürgerschaft, Ingela Nylund Watz, MP, Swedish Riksdag, Wille Valve, MP, Åland Islands Lagting, Nordic Council Committee on Business and Industry, Raimonds Vejonis, MP, Latvian Saeima