According to the UK Independence Party website UKIP will try to achieve the following if they gain power at the 2010 general election:

5.1 UKIP believes that our resources will be better managed, and our environment more wisely protected and enhanced, when ownership and responsibility (individual, corporate and/or state) are clearly defined and controlled within the UK. Surrender of decision-making power to the EU has been harmful to us, and the implementation of a ‘Common Energy Policy’ by the EU risks mismanagement comparable to that seen under its Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).

5.2 Significant decisions affecting people’s lives, such as the banning of traditional light-bulbs, should not be made remotely by unaccountable EU institutions such as the Council of Ministers.

As a topical example, the EU ‘carbon credits’ scheme is not working properly, with fraud and rule-breaking widespread. Such schemes require a large, costly bureaucracy. UKIP would end them all and instead employ direct regulation and the tax system to influence energy use.

5.3 The agenda and priorities of the EU in relation to energy are not in the best interests of the UK and are often made worse through ‘gold-plating’ of EU Directives by the UK government. For example, we would not continue with expensive compulsory domestic ‘Energy Performance Certificates’ which tell householders little that they cannot judge (often better) for themselves3. We would, however, ensure that essential environmental legislation is effectively enforced.

5.4 In order to foster conservation and development of new technologies that enhance efficiency and innovation, UKIP would determine strategic policy based on national needs, with devolution of appropriate powers to local authorities. Most urgently we would implement short-and long-term measures to deal with our vulnerability in energy supply while in the meantime negotiating more effectively for imported supplies.

I would be interested to hear both positive and negative views on UK Independence Party’s Energy Restraints of EU Membership policies in the comments below?