8 May 2015: The European Court of Auditors (ECA) organized a conference on energy security that focused on obstacles to the completion of the internal energy market and the role of Ukraine in European energy supply. During the half-day event, participants heard presentations by several stakeholder representatives, and a keynote speech stressing the role of energy efficiency and sustainable energy sources in increasing the EU’s energy security in the context of COP21 and the EU Energy Union.

The ‘EU Energy Security Conference 2015,’ held in Brussels, Belgium, on 5 May 2015, brought together participants from EU institutions, member States, the energy industry and academia to discuss issues of relevance for the short- and long-term energy security of the Union. Two panel discussions focused on: the main obstacles to the completion of the EU’s internal energy market and overcoming them, and the role of EU financing in facilitating the development of relevant infrastructure; and the role of Ukraine in European energy supply as a key transit route.

Keynote speaker Maroš Šefčovič, the European Commission’s Vice-President for the Energy Union, noted that energy security is one of the three main objectives of the Commission’s Energy Union strategy, published in February 2015. He argued that increasing the EU’s energy security will require: enhancing energy efficiency by consuming less energy; relying more on “indigenous” energy resources, in particular sustainable ones; diversifying external suppliers; and integrating the region’s energy markets. Šefčovič suggested Europe has the potential to become a global leader in renewable energy, adding: “smart grids are Europe’s shale gas.”

The ECA, established in 1975, audits EU finances and reports on the use of public funds with the aim of improving the Union’s financial management. Energy security is among the priorities of the ECA work programme for 2015. [ECA Press Release] [European Commission Press Release] [Conference Agenda]