The Clean Energy for All Europeans package consists of the proposals for revised directives on a new design of the electricity market, on promotion of energy efficiency and renewable energy, and on the energy performance of buildings, as well as the proposal for a regulation on the governance of the Energy Union. The Seimas Committee on European Affairs thoroughly analysed the recast Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the internal market for electricity COM (2016) 861, a proposal within the package, and decided that the Proposal was in compliance with the subsidiarity principle. However, the Committee took the view that the Proposal should ensure the national prerogative of Member States to independently choose energy mix in accordance with the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU. This position of the Committee was expressed by Mr Kirkilas at the meeting in Poland. He also noted that the Committee had been consistently advocating the creation of the EU Energy Union in order to develop the EU’s internal electricity market that was integrated, competitive, consumer-orientated, flexible and non-discriminatory. In addition, the Committee took the view that the Proposal should contain provisions pertaining to the participation of third countries in the EU’s internal electricity market and restricting access to the EU’s internal electricity market for electricity produced, in violation of international nuclear safety and environmental standards, in third countries’ nuclear power plants posing a threat to the national security, environment and public health of a Member State.
As regards the reform of the Common European Asylum System, Mr Kirkilas underlined that it was of paramount importance to ensure adequate protection of the EU’s external borders and effectively combat the business of people smuggling. “Protection of the EU’s external borders is a priority and a precondition for preserving the Schengen area,” said Mr Kirkilas. “Solidarity lies at the basis of the migration, asylum and border management policy, but the root causes of migration must be tackled first and foremost. Solidarity can manifest itself through implementation of different measures such as provision of experts and equipment or humanitarian and financial assistance.”
At the debate on the current challenges faced by the EU when strengthening the role of national parliaments, Mr Kirkilas spoke in favour of a reasoned discussion and full use of existing tools of parliamentary oversight. “I think the most important thing is to preserve the unity of the EU. Therefore, we have to be cautious about drastic reforms and seek, first and foremost, effective measures within the framework of the EU treaties,” he said.
At the end of the meeting, Mr Kirkilas invited the participants to the next informal meeting of chairs of EU affairs committees of the Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, and Polish parliaments to be held in Vilnius in the autumn of this year.
