Polish PM Optimistic After Mtg With Sarkozy On EU Climate Pact
"We've made a step in a right direction, although a success can't be announced yet," Tusk told a news briefing.
France, which holds the rotating European Union presidency, is trying to convince Poland and other new E.U. members to back the plan to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 20% by 2020, in a bid to work out a compromise for the Dec. 11-12 E.U. summit.
Poland, which relies on coal for 95% of its electricity generation, fears that if power companies had to buy CO2 permits at auctions as proposed by the E.U., electricity prices would double.
Tusk said the Polish power industry was offered free allocations of CO2 allowances till 2019, while the European Union would provide financial support for investment in transmission lines allowing for cross-boarder electricity trade between Poland, Baltic states and Scandinavia.
"This is just the beginning; details and numbers should follow," Tusk said.
He also said Sarkozy proposed favorable terms of possible cooperation concerning nuclear power generation technology which France could sell to Poland.
Poland and other central and eastern European states also argue that their richer partners from E.U. have to take into consideration CO2 emission reductions achieved between 1990 and 2005 when their economies were transforming.
Sarkozy told a news briefing that the final agreement on climate package would have to respect "solidarity."
"All participants argued that solidarity must be taken into consideration and it's up to me to find ways to do it," Sarkozy said.
-By Marek Strzelecki, Dow Jones Newswires; 48-605 265 493; marek.strzelecki@dowjones.com
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(END) Dow Jones Newswires
December 06, 2008 11:12 ET (16:12 GMT)
Publié le 06 Décembre 2008 Copyright © 2008 Dowjones
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