The European Commission has been asked to investigate a controversial decision by Northern Ireland’s environment minister to ban a climate change advertising campaign.
Branding Sammy Wilson's actions as "strange and quite bizarre", a German Euro MP called on officials in Brussels to examine whether the move contravened EU wide agreements to cut Co2 emissions.
Green MEP Rebecca Harms told the European Parliament that she had concerns that a regional administration of a member state could adopt such a position.
Mr Wilson, who believes mankind is not to blame for global warming, prompted an outcry from environmentalists when he blocked UK government commissioned TV and radio ads urging people to reduce their carbon output and use less energy in the home.
His scrutiny committee at Stormont also passed a motion of no confidence in the east Antrim MP.
However, the minister, who considers recent climatic shifts to be merely part of the ever-changing weather patterns of the earth over millions of years, has remained defiant and says he has no intention of resigning over the matter.
He said he was not going to be forced out of a job by people who do not accept his point of view.
Ms Harms, who leads the green representation in Brussels, told fellow MEPs that the ban had to be looked at.
"I cannot believe that the good reasons behind our common climate and energy targets of 20 per cent less CO2, 20 per cent renewables and 20 per cent more energy efficiency are not known, or not accepted in the regional government of a member state," she said.
"And I ask therefore for the commission to find out what the reasons are behind this strange and quite bizarre ban in north Ireland.
"I think even climate scepticals like Mr Wilson should take care of citizens and support energy efficiency and methods to decrease the energy bill."
Mr Wilson has said his department is pro-active in backing calls for saving energy. However, he refuses to link the issue of carbon output with climate change.
In the wake of the minister's decision last week, the Green Party in Northern Ireland set up an online petition calling for his resignation. To date it has attracted more than 1,800 supporters.
PA