The OECD negotiations must turn away from the most polluting source of energy and ban all support to coal fired power plants.

The EU has recently started discussing its position for the OECD negotiations on export credits for coal fired power plants.

Coal fired power plants are by far the most polluting energy technology today and significantly contribute to climate change through their emissions.

On 30th January the Greens took the initiative, supported by colleagues from other political groups, to write to the European Commission. EU Commissioner for Trade Mrs Cecilia Malmström, Vice-President of the European Commission Mr Maroš ��ef?ovi? (also responsible for the EU energy Union ) and EU Commissioner for Climate Action & Energy Mr Arias Cañete should  strive for  the EU to put an end to public subsidies in the form of export credits for coal fired power plants.

The group criticizes the recent non-paper for an EU position for the OECD negotiations drafted by the Direction General of TRADE. According to this document, public subsidies for the export of coal fired plants would be maintained. This proposal is totally inconsistent with EU policies, especially with the claim of international climate leadership in the year of the COP21 where the world will assess the credibility of developed countries���� commitments to fight climate change!

Last year, the OECD and the G7 committed to negotiate and conclude an ����OECD Arrangement on public export credits���� still before the end of 2015. These negotiations ���� which are to take place before the COP21 in December 2015 - represent a great opportunity to concretely reduce the EU/OECD����s CO2 emissions.

4 years ago, the EU decided to end domestic public subsidies for coal by 2018. The EU must therefore be consistent and quickly play a positive and active role to ensure that it does not contradict its own domestic policies.

The Greens therefore demand that ALL EU/OECD  export credits for coal fired power plants overseas - which are the largest source of public funds for coal abroad - are banned, and that the EU uses this chance to refocus public subsidies for EU exports towards renewable energy technologies offering robust export opportunities for EU manufacturers, in line with President Juncker����s goal to make the EU number one in renewable energies globally.