On January 23, 2008, the European Commission proposed a series of EU-wide policies to implement the major energy and climate decisions taken by the European Council in March 2007. The Council decisions included:

• A commitment to reduce the EU’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 20% below 1990 levels by 2020, and 30% below if other developed countries agree to comparable reductions and economically advanced developing countries contribute according to their respective capabilities and responsibilities.
  
• A mandatory target to increase renewable energy to 20% of the EU’s overall energy mix by 2020, including a minimum of 10% biofuels in overall fuel consumption.

The new measures proposed by the Commission to achieve these goals across the EU’s 27 member States will be taken up by the European Parliament and the European Council, with the aim of final adoption by 2009.