EU Leaders In Australia, Want Joint Action
- May 27th, 2009
- Posted by EUEditor
The European Energy Commissioner, Andris Piebalgs, says the EU and Australia should “join forces†at the world conference on climate change, in Copenhagen this December …. and his colleague, Joe Borg, wants joint action against pirates.
The two Commissioners were in Australia on short visits.
ENERGISE ACTIONÂ ON GLOBAL WARMING
Andris Piebalgs made the call for joint energy initiatives during a visit to Canberra, 19.5.09, for talks with the Australian government in the lead-up to openhagen — on global warming, clean energy, and security of supply.
“The UN climate conference on climate change to be held in Copenhagen in December will be essential to reach a global agreement to save the planet.
“Australia and the EU share the same concerns about climate change and aim at similar solutionsâ€, he said.
He met the Resources Minister, Martin Ferguson; the Minister for Climate Change and Water, Penny Wong, and the Trade Minister, Simon Crean.
Mr Piebalgs signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the Australian sponsored Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute ( CCS ). It’s a body supported by 85 organisations including sixteen national governments and 40 major companies, for the exchange of information on proposals for CCS.
TAKE ON THE JOLLY ROGER
Also in Australia this month, the European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Joe Borg, spoke of the possibility of joint action against piracy in the Indian Ocean.
He said there was some concern that pirate activities could extend beyond the area off Somalia, where the EU is contributing to a NATO patrol flotilla. (See EUAustralia, NATO active in Somalia patrol, 26.4.09; Problems mount with pirates …, 12.4.09).
CLEAN AND GREEN, PRIME BEEF ON THE MENU
Memories of long-time struggles over agricultural access to European markets surfaced in may with news of an extension of available quotas for specially credentialed beef products.
The EU Ambassador, David Daly, said the extension meant there were new openings for new entrants, where they could meet clean and green standards, such as beef guaranteed free of growth promotant hormones.
Australian officials have reported weak interest in the European market within the beef industry, in recent years.
They report that beyond the level of small initial quotas, steep import duties keep down the tonnages that can sold, so it remains more economical instead to persist with sales to Asia and elsewhere.
Pictures:Â Piebalgs (top) and Borg; ships from NATO alliance head into Somali waters; the late Errol Flynn, an Aussie much concerned with pirates.
Reference: EC delegation to Australia, [email protected], (27.5.09).