Energy ministers from the European Union, meeting at Brussels, have agreed to increase the share of biofuels for transport to 10 per cent by 2020. However, they were unable to decide whether a higher target of 20 per cent of energy from renewable sources by 2020 should be binding.

They will now decide at their meeting on 8 and 9 March at Brussels whether the renewable energy target should be mandatory.

Reacting to the failure to agree on the higher targets Green members of the European parliament Claude Turmes and Rebecca Harms, charged, "After all the bluster from EU leaders on climate change over the past few months, it is shameful that their energy ministers seem to be already abandoning ambition on crucial concrete measures to protect our climate."

Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs said the ministers had broadly backed the goal of getting 20 per cent of energy from renewable sources by 2020, but wanted more information about how the burden would be shared between the 27 member states.

The ministers also could not agree over the proposed splitting of energy utilities into separate production and distribution companies.

The proposals were part of a package of measures put forward by the European Commission in January to tackle climate change and improve Europe's energy supply security while maintaining the EU economy's competitiveness.

Next week environment ministers will discuss the commission's proposal of a unilateral 20-per cent cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 or a 30-per cent reduction if agreement can be reached between all developed countries.