"We are counting on a constructive approach and support of the member states and the parliament for a final adoption of the package by spring 2009," said Slovenian Environment Minister Janez Podobnik.

The measures, presented by the European Commission on Wednesday, are designed to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 20 percent by 2020, compared to 1990 levels.

The use of renewable energies like biomass, wind and solar power will rise to 20 percent of all energy forms by then under the plans. Biofuels will also have to make up 10 percent of fuels used for transport.

The energy blueprint sets the stage for some classic EU wrangling as both member states and the European Parliament will have to approve the measures.

Environmental groups criticised the package for being too modest and even posing a threat to the world's poor while some EU countries are worried about the costs of the package to industry and consumers and the burden they will have to assume on renewable energy.

Podobnik said he hoped talks "at all levels" would begin immediately on drawing up the new legislation.

He discussed the matter in Thursday with his counterparts from France, the Czech Republic and Sweden -- who will successively take over the six-month rotating EU presidency from Slovenia up to 2009.

Members of the European Parliament and EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas also attended the informal talks in Brussels.

"Europe has the potential of stimulating the rest of the world toward a new unified agreement on climate change in Copenhagen in 2009," said Podobnik.

French Secretary of State for Ecology Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, whose country will assume the EU presidency in July, said Europe "needs this momentum to remain a leading force in the international negotiations on climate change," while admitting that "the climate energy package is a rich and complex one".

Swedish Environment Minister Andreas Carlgren, which will represent the EU at international climate change talks in Copenhagen in late 2009 also insisted on the need to adopt the energy rules ahead of European parliamentary elections that year.

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