European Conservatives and Reformists Group member Daiva Matonienė, Member of Šiauliai City Municipal Council in Lithuania, will manage the European Committee of the Regions' work on 'Renewable energy and internal electricity market'.

Ms Matonienė is leading the Committee of the Regions' work on renewable energy and the internal electricity market in her role as rapporteur on some of the most important elements of the so-called 'Winter Package' programme proposed by the European Commission on 30 November 2016.

The CoR opinion is based on five mandatory referrals from the European Commission that cover: 1) the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources; 2) common rules for the internal market in electricity; 3) establishing a European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy regulators; 4) a revised regulation on the internal market for electricity and; 5) a proposal for a new regulation on risk-preparedness in the electricity sector.

According to the Commission, the recast of the renewable energy directives will help ensure the delivery of new renewable energy targets for 2030 set by the European Council in October 2014. The opinion is thus set to address the main issues associated with the new framework - cost-effectiveness, sustainability and the actual delivery of a share of renewable energy of at least 27% in the EU in 2030.

For regulation on a new internal market design, the opinion will consider a range of legislative and non-legislative instruments to help improve the efficiency of the internal electricity market, as well as looking at ways to increase competition and consumer participation, and enhance the link between wholesale and retail markets.

Ms Matoniene said "climate change is something that we must aim to address but it is how we go about it that is important. As a Group, we recognise that Member States have different capacities when it comes to renewable energy and we will try to ensure that the opinion remains realistic. I will be aiming to underline the importance for climate policy to be realistic, flexible and costefficient."

Ms Matonienė recently saw her opinion on 'An EU strategy for heating and cooling' successfully adopted unanimously by CoR members at the 119th plenary session in October 2016.The opinion called for more concrete action to boost sustainable heating and cooling in Europe.