“Investing in renewable energy is investing in the future”
As Flemish Minister for Energy, Freya Van den Bossche is in the Belgian chair during the informal Council of 6 and 7 September and the formal Council of 2 December. She will exchange ideas with her fellow-ministers about making the energy policy more consumer friendly, the energy-infrastructure, the internal energy market and energy-efficiency.
Van den Bossche: With regard to the latter in particular, we need to up our efforts. Without supplementary measures, the European objective of cutting 20 percent of our energy needs by 2020 shall not be met, whereas for me saving energy is a crucial tool to combat energy poverty. This presidency is a unique opportunity for us to give the energy policy a powerful new boost.
I also look forward to the conference on biomass on 29 and 30 November. This is an extremely important source of energy to achieve the regional and federal renewable energy objectives in 2020. I am hoping for a constructive debate that will shed light on the implementation of possible sustainability criteria, ways to increase the local biomass production and its optimum utilisation.
What influence does the European Union have on your policy fields?
In the Energy policy field in particular the impact of the European Union should not be underestimated. The European Union practically entirely lays down the operational framework for the energy market and provides the outlines within which Flanders is working on a policy around energy saving and renewable energy. It's so much more than putting figures on a scoreboard. Every European will feel the effects of a decisive European energy saving policy. In his own wallet, but also in a more general sense on the level of our economic prosperity.
What breakthrough in your policy fields would you like to see on a European scale?
As Flemish Minister for Housing I want to achieve the right to affordable and good housing for as many people as possible. Good housing also means living in properly insulated and low-energy accommodation. We recently made a big step forward in Flanders by supplementing the minimum housing quality standards for rental properties with energy standards. It would be an amazing breakthrough if these housing quality and energy saving standards were to be introduced everywhere in Europe.
How do you see the future of the European Union?
Our future is inextricably linked with Europe's future. It is therefore extremely important that the European Union draws up a common powerful policy and executes it consistently. Particularly in the field of energy. Investing in renewable energy and energy saving is preparing for the future. It is a lever against climate change, but also an engine for innovation in our economy and a catalyst for sustainable jobs.
What is your favourite destination in Europe?
I would prefer to discover Europe ‘at a slow pace’. By train for instance. From country to country. And from city to city, stopping at a couple of villages. The exact destination doesn't really matter then. But you need time to do this. A lot of time. And that's something I have too little of at the moment. If I have to choose one destination, I'd say Porto. I have great memories of the city, and it is still one of my favourite European cities.
