The Parliament has "recognised what a strong renewables industry, driven by ambitious targets, can do for Europe's economy, jobs, energy security and the climate", said Stephane Bourgeois, Head of Regulatory Affairs at the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA).

"But the European Commission must heed the Parliament's support for a target when it publishes its Green Paper on 2030 energy policy in the next few weeks", Bourgeois added . The MEPs also condemned the retroactive changes to renewable energy support mechanisms taking place in several EU Member States as detrimental to investor confidence.

The MEPs were voting in Plenary on the Tzavela report on the 2050 Energy Roadmap. The European Commission Green Paper is due out soon.