France's President Jacques Chirac (L), German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Poland's President Lech Kaczynski (R) pose for a family photo during a two-day EU leaders summit in Brussels March 8, 2007. (Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    BRUSSELS, March 8 (Xinhua) -- The heads of state and government of the European Union (EU) gathered on Thursday evening for their spring summit which will focus on energy policy and climate change.

    "Europe is at an important crossroads. If we act decisively now, we have a chance of effectively counteracting the dangers of climate change. Climate and energy policies are therefore at the center of this European Council," German Chancellor Angela Merkel told her counterparts in a letter prior to the summit.

    "We must use the spring meeting to decide on a strategy which will safeguard our energy supply and ensure climate protection on a sustainable basis. Our response to this issue will have repercussions for the future of Europe and beyond."

    Merkel, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, will chair the two-day summit.

    On climate change, the leaders will discuss reductions of greenhouse gas emissions and increased share of renewables in energy mix.

    They are widely expected to endorse plans to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 20 percent by 2020 from 1990 levels, as agreed by EU environment ministers last month.

    They are also expected to endorse the ministers' agreement to cut by 30 percent provided there is an international agreement.

    The 27-nation bloc, however, needs up to years to determine the division of burdens among the member states.

    The issue of renewable energy may be harder to tackle as member states have so far failed to agree on mandatory targets.

    The leaders are expected to consider an ambitious proposal of the European Commission to have 20 percent of renewables in the bloc's energy mix by 2020. Currently, renewables account for only 6.5 percent of energy generated in the EU.

    The leaders will have deliberations on the opening up of the European energy market by unbundling energy giants. Member states remain divided over this proposal.