In view of the Union's objective to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the significant contribution that road transport fuels make to those emissions, Member States are, pursuant to Article 7a(2) of Directive 98/70/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council , to require suppliers of fuel or energy to reduce by at least 6 % by 31 December 2020 the life cycle greenhouse gas emissions per unit of energy of fuels used in the Union by road vehicles, non-road mobile machinery, agricultural and forestry tractors and recreational craft when not at sea.

A: In July 2012, the Commission received a formal and valid complaint from an industry association of European solar panel manufactures, EU Pro Sun, which provided evidence that exporting producers from China are dumping solar panels into the EU and causing injury to the Union industry.

The Presidency conclusions of the European Council of 8 and 9 March 2007 emphasised the need to increase energy efficiency in the Union so as to achieve the objective of saving 20 % of the Union’s energy consumption by 2020, set targets for the EU-wide development of renewable energies and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and called for a thorough and rapid implementation of the key areas identified in the Commission Communication of 19 October 2006 entitled ‘Action Plan for Energy Efficiency: Realising the Potential’.

In its fifth meeting held on 7-8 February 2002, the European Gas Regulatory Forum (the "Madrid Forum") adopted Guidelines for Good Practice on Third Party access to the European Union (EU) gas network, which is a significant progress in creating a single internal market for gas".

The world's major producers of industrial gases are amending clauses in their sales contracts for oxygen, nitrogen and argon within the Community, following an investigation by the European Commission into the industrial gas sector and the initiation of proceedings under the competition articles of the Treaty of Rome. The companies concerned are L'Air Liquide SA, AGA AB, Union Carbide, BOC plc, Air Products Europe Inc, Linde AG and Messer Griesheim GmbH.

He also stresses that if European manufacturers agree to join such a programme it will boost their competitiveness as well as helping to achieve the general objective of a cleaner environment in the European Union.