In the EU’s ‘Energy climate-change package’ submitted on the 10th of January the EU put forward plans that 20% of Europe’s energy would be renewable by 2020 and for the same deadline there would be a ‘unilateral’ cut of Green House Gas emissions by 20%. The argument was made that this would not only help curb climate change but would also be in line with the will of the people. Consumers are already more concerned about their own carbon footprint and thus the carbon impact of the products they buy. Stavros Dimas the Environmental Commissioner also made the point that by acting earlier rather than later the EU would have a competitive advantage in the inevitable low carbon economy. Stating: “we know in the EU that the businesses that have reacted before regulators are at a competitive advantage…They will get a profit and they know this…The EU will then be better prepared for the low carbon future.”