Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 12 April 2018 to Question 134601, on EU Energy Policy, whether it is the Government's policy to oppose the European Council raising its renewable energy target to 35 per cent in accordance with the position of the European Parliament.

The UK’s position in these negotiations is to seek maximum flexibility for each Member State to be able to develop the most cost-effective pathway for them to deliver their emissions reductions commitments, including deciding what contribution renewable energy should make to meeting that commitment, whilst recognising the need for mechanisms to give the EU assurance that its objectives on renewables will be met. We believe that the 27% EU renewable energy target agreed by Council in December 2017 struck the right balance between ambition and cost-effectiveness for Member States, in line with the 2014 European Council Conclusions.