Energy Ministers of the EU’s 28 countries have said that the goal of the EU’s plans for Energy Union must be to provide consumers with affordable, safe, competitive, secure and sustainable energy.
Meeting in Luxembourg on 8 June, Ministers said that the EU must reduce its energy dependency and increase its energy security – a goal which is in line with the EU’s long-term energy, climate and economic growth objectives.
Building a consumer-orientated Energy Union can be achieved by creating a flexible European market for energy that ensures transparent pricing and maximises competition.
In this context, the Commission announced the adoption in mid-July of two initiatives on a new market design and a retail market which would put consumers very much at the heart of the Energy Union. Ministers identified certain weaknesses in the EU’s energy system, notably the lack of energy interconnections - which could have an upward effect on energy pricing, the need for more competition in energy retail markets, the need to help consumers in vulnerable situations and to ensure that consumers are fully informed on the possibility to control their energy consumption using smart technology.
The Council also discussed how to drive investments in energy. Ministers called for a stable and transparent European legal framework, a properly functioning carbon market, major investments in energy infrastructure, energy efficiency and low carbon energy production and for a level playing field between all market players.
The Commission presented the process governing Energy Union which will lead to the first State of the Energy Union address at the December European Council. The Council also stressed the need for regional co-operation as a centre-piece of the governance of Energy Union. Ministers also discussed EU Energy Security - it is now just over a year since the European Energy Security Strategy was adopted. Security of energy supply – another key consumer requirement - can be boosted by reducing the EU’s energy dependency and diversifying its energy suppliers and energy sources, in particular in the EU’s most isolated energy markets, the Council said.
Other items on the Luxembourg Council agenda included the ongoing trilateral talks between the EU, Russia and Ukraine, the latest developments in strengthening the Energy Community, and the main outcomes of the European Nuclear Energy Forum (ENEF) which took place in Prague on 26-27 May.
Finally, Luxembourg presented the priorities for the next presidency of the Council of the European Union where the implementation of the Commission's Strategic Framework for Energy Union will remain high on the political agenda.
For more information and Council Conclusions on the implementation of Energy Union see.
