Same goals, more gradual stages. With this principle the EU unanimously approved the energy/climate package, whose aim is to cut polluting emissions by 20% by 2020 and to increase by the same percentage energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy. The agreement was reached in Brussels between 27 heads of State and government thanks to the negotiation of the French presidency and to numerous concessions offered to Poland, Germany, Italy and Eastern countries, aimed at protecting national industries. At the final press conference, Nicolas Sarkozy spoke of an "historical agreement", while Commission President José Manuel Barroso said "Europe has passed its credibility test" with these far-reaching environmental proposals, "the most ambitious proposals anywhere in the world." The package will be approved next week by the EU Parliament in Strasbourg. The meeting also gave the green light to anti-crisis measures (200 billion euros from national and communitarian budget) and to a new referendum in Ireland "by November 2009. (continued)
