Brussels takes legal action against UK over use of British parts in wind farms

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Offshore wind farm [image credit: Wikipedia]


Will Brexit bitterness ever die? Renewables are now mired in international politics.
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Brussels has launched a legal challenge over the use of British parts in the UK’s offshore wind farms, reports the Telegraph.

The European Commission submitted its complaint to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the first such move it has made since Brexit.

The UK Government asks offshore wind farm developers to say how many of the parts they are using are from Britain.

The UK insists the so-called “local content” request is within the rules of the WTO.

Five new offshore wind factories have been set up in the UK over the past 12 months alone, leading to 3,000 jobs and involving £1.5bn of private investment.

A Whitehall source said: “At a time when the West should be united in defeating Putin, this act of envy by Brussels is ill-judged ill-timed. We should be working together to strengthen European clean energy security, not fighting this out in court.

“Our policies to boost Britain’s offshore wind industry are comparable to many other schemes in the EU, so we are puzzled why Brussels are challenging our scheme when they do pretty much the same.”

Continued here.

Alternative report: EU takes legal action on Brexit Britain’s ‘discriminatory’ plans for ‘home-grown’ energy — Daily Express.

via Tallbloke’s Talkshop

March 29, 2022, by oldbrew