COMMISSION/COUNCIL : 'NEW ROAD' FOR EU AS ELECTRIC CAR ADDED TO 2020 PLAN.

Spain's plan to roll out electric cars is an "essential part" of the European Commission's forthcoming ten-year growth and jobs strategy, Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso confirmed in Madrid, on 23 February, after the meeting between the new commissioners and the Spanish Presidency and a week ahead of the 3 March release of the EU executive's detailed proposals on Europe 2020'. "Europe has to do more than simply survive this crisis. The EU has to start on a new road and not be left behind," Barroso said, adding that Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero had also put forward ideas on energy security and digital policy. "All of these are contributions we owe to Spain, which are essential for proposals the Commission is coming forward with." The EU executive published the detailed Europe 2020' strategy on 3 March, three weeks before it is to be formally approved in European Council (see separate article) .

Zapatero first announced plans to make Europe a leader in electric car production last September - trumping China and Japan - and has since met with industry leaders to promote the idea. In Madrid on 23 February, he said the new strategy should take into account "all aspects relating to the economy, to energy, common energy policies, the internal market, digital agenda, industries that can cooperate and coordinate in emergent sectors".

In return for Barroso's praise, he pledged his support to the Commission, saying it was the only institution capable of overseeing what he called the "European method" of coordination. "For us to say Europe and the EU means support...