MEPs have voted against a halt to any new shale gas fracking operations in the EU – but said regulation of the industry should be subject to “thorough analysis”.
The vote in the European Parliament’s energy committee saw MEPs agree that each EU member state had the right to decide on whether to exploit shale gas.
However, they also adopted a report by the Environment Committee that said while EU rules adequately covered licensing and early exploration and production of shale gas, “a thorough analysis” of EU regulation on these fuels is needed for future exploitation.
It also said special plans for water use should accompany any hydraulic fracturing, known as fracking, activities, as much water as possible should be recycled and companies must disclose which chemicals are used.
SNP member of the European Parliament’s Energy Committee Alyn Smith welcomed the defeat of the vote calling for an immediate moratorium on fracking and said that the awarding of licences for fracking should remain entirely a responsibility of the member states.
He abstained from voting on the report from the Environment Committee “on the grounds that much of the report opened the door to increased EU involvement in what should remain a member state competence”.
He said: “Fracking may well have a role to play in the EU’s energy future but the jury is still very firmly out, and it should in any event be the national authorities who decide what is best for them.”