Mr Huemer, Mr Toifl, Mr Karas MEP, Ms Herczog MEP - © EP

UEAPME President Georg Toifl spoke during a meeting of the European Parliament’s SME Intergroup in Strasbourg on 14 February, bringing forward the main SME concerns on the future EU Energy Policy.

Mr Toifl stressed that the completion of the internal market for energy is a key priority for European small businesses, which are disproportionately suffering from lack of competition and private monopolies. He suggested that only a strong, EU-wide regulatory body can redress this situation.

He then went on to speak about energy efficiency: SMEs will deliver in this area only if their potential is maximised, both through proper training and adequate financing. The President concluded by dealing with renewables. He backed the EC goals to diversify the energy mix to reduce dependency on fossil fuels and tackle climate change, but insisted on the fact that reasonable and widely shared global strategies are the only solution in this respect.

The new EU Energy Policy is one of the key priorities on Mr Toifl’s agenda.