The European Council has confirmed its commitment to the EU's Energy Union at a meeting focused on designing the first steps toward the Union.
The Council released its 'Conclusions on the Energy Union,' which call for concrete actions to support the Union and a forward-looking climate policy.
The Conclusions also call for coordinated climate diplomacy ahead of the Paris Climate Change Conference in December 2015 and intensified work on financing, technology transfer and capacity building.
19 March 2015: The European Council has confirmed its commitment to the EU’s Energy Union at a meeting focused on designing the first steps toward the Union. The Council released its ‘Conclusions on the Energy Union,’ which call for concrete actions to support the Union and a forward-looking climate policy. The Conclusions also call for coordinated climate diplomacy ahead of the Paris Climate Change Conference in December 2015 and intensified work on financing, technology transfer and capacity building.
Presenting his vision for an Energy Union to the Council, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker identified the need to better integrate electricity markets, connect gas markets, diversify gas supplies and create better transparency around energy costs and prices. However, he identified the first priority in establishing the Energy Union as the full implementation and strict enforcement of existing EU energy legislation.
In line with his guidance, the Council’s Conclusions call for, inter alia: fully implementing and rigorously enforcing existing energy legislation; accelerating infrastructure projects, including interconnections for electricity and gas; reinforcing the legislative framework for the security of supply for electricity and gas; ensuring full compliance with EU law of all agreements related to the buying of gas from external suppliers; assessing options for voluntary demand aggregation mechanisms in full compliance with World Trade Organization (WTO) and EU competition rules; and developing a more effective, flexible market design which enhances regional cooperation and helps integrate renewables.
The Council also calls for reviewing and developing legislation related to emissions reduction, energy-efficiency and renewables to underpin the agreed 2030 targets; developing an energy and climate-related technology and innovation strategy; and using all external policy instruments to establish strategic energy partnerships with increasingly important producing and transit countries. [European Commission Press Release] [European Council Conclusions on the Energy Union] [European Commission President Presentation]