32. Stresses that a binding energy efficiency target would be the cost-efficient way to reduce Europe’s energy dependency while at the same time protecting industry and households from rising energy bills; recalls that Parliament adopted, in its resolutions of 5 February 2014 and 26 November 2014,three binding targets including an energy efficiency target of 40 %, a renewables target of at least 30 % and a GHG target of at least 40 %; deplores in this context the lack of ambition on energy efficiency shown by the European Council at its October 2014 summit, in setting a non-binding target of just 27 % with no individual targets for Mem ...[+++]ber States;

46. Underlines the important role of renewable energy, including innovative developments in this field, and the urgent need for better solutions as regards storage, increasing energy efficiency and ensuring efficient energy transmission, including appropriate infrastructure measures; recognises the significant progress achieved by Member States in the development of renewable sources of energy since binding targets were set for 2020; draws attention to the importance of continuing this approach and setting further binding renewable energy targets for 2030, taking into account the possibility and macroeconomic impact of doing so; point ...[+++]s out that such action will help achieve the 2050 objectives, give industry the investment certainty it requires, significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, create employment, promote the EU's energy independence, and foster technological leadership and industrial innovation; stresses that meeting the targets set in the national renewable energy action plans is crucial for the achievement of the overall EU targets for 2050; considers that the Commission should take measures if national targets are not met;

Moreover, Decision No 406/2009/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2009 on the effort of Member States to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to meet the Community’s greenhouse gas emission reduction commitments up to 2020 , sets national binding targets for CO reduction for which energy efficiency in the building sector will be crucial, and Directive 2009/28/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2009 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources provides for the promotion of energy efficiency in the context of a binding target for energy from renewable sources accounting f ...[+++]or 20 % of total Union energy consumption by 2020.

68. Urges the 2007 Spring European Council to endorse the Energy Efficiency Action Plan action plan proposed by the Commission, which should at least contain the following elements: the placing of consumers, whether they are householders or commercial and industrial users, at the centre of energy policy; a road map at Council and Commission level for reaching a target for renewable energy of 50 % by 2040, a 30 % reduction at EU level in the CO2 target for 2020, an EU target for energy efficiency improvements of at least 20% by 2020 and a 60 to 80 % reduction for 2050; reform of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) to guide the market into investment in a low carbon economy, which should be driven by a set target for EU carbon emissions b ...[+++]y 2020, including a target of 25 % of energy from renewable sources by 2020 and a binding target for car emissions; a step change in energy efficiency, faster implementation of existing EC rules in the Member States, or failing that, concrete improvements in the regulatory framework; a clearer separation of energy production from energy distribution through stronger independent regulatory control, which takes into account the interests of Europe as a whole, an effort to address missing interconnections, stimulate investment and innovation, minimum binding guidelines set out for regulators, including a procedure for the appointment of regulators, independence, transparency and accountability; an ambitious RD strategy on clean energy technologies, including an increase of at least 50 % in its annual spending on energy research over the next seven years; the development of an effective solidarity mechanism to deal with any energy supply crisis; a common foreign energy policy strategy so that it can increasingly speak with one voice to third countries; a doubling of the efforts to prompt global action to combat climate change, since the European Union cannot tackle the problem alone; and the full implementation of all current E ...

68. Urges the 2007 Spring European Council to endorse the Energy Efficiency Action Plan action plan proposed by the Commission, which should at least contain the following elements: the placing of consumers, whether they are householders or commercial and industrial users, at the centre of energy policy; a road map at Council and Commission level for reaching a target for renewable energy of 50 % by 2040, a 30 % reduction at EU level in the CO2 target for 2020, an EU target for energy efficiency improvements of at least 20% by 2020 and a 60 to 80 % reduction for 2050; reform of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) to guide the market into investment in a low carbon economy, which should be driven by a set target for EU carbon emissions b ...[+++]y 2020, including a target of 25 % of energy from renewable sources by 2020 and a binding target for car emissions; a step change in energy efficiency, faster implementation of existing EC rules in the Member States, or failing that, concrete improvements in the regulatory framework; a clearer separation of energy production from energy distribution through stronger independent regulatory control, which takes into account the interests of Europe as a whole, an effort to address missing interconnections, stimulate investment and innovation, minimum binding guidelines set out for regulators, including a procedure for the appointment of regulators, independence, transparency and accountability; an ambitious RD strategy on clean energy technologies, including an increase of at least 50 % in its annual spending on energy research over the next seven years; the development of an effective solidarity mechanism to deal with any energy supply crisis; a common foreign energy policy strategy so that it can increasingly speak with one voice to third countries; a doubling of the efforts to prompt global action to combat climate change, since the European Union cannot tackle the problem alone; and the full implementation of all current E ...

Regarding the question of targets, I, like most of you, regret that a compromise has only been possible without binding targets, but the final version of the amendments introduces a number of binding measures, which strongly compensates for the loss of binding targets.