Energy Green Paper: more of the same or new revolution?[fr][de] 

The new Green Paper on a "secure, competitive and sustainable energy policy for Europe" will try to make the case for greater integration and cooperation of EU energy policies. 

In a draft version seen by EurActiv, the paper identifies 5 "headline goals":

• to speak with one voice on strategic energy issues;
• to diversify the mix of primary energy resources;
• to become the world's most energy-efficient region;
• to become the world leader in low carbon energy research and development;
• to complete the internal energy market by 2007.

The paper proposes six priority areas that should lead to the development of a "reinvigorated European Energy Policy":

• a common European external policy for security of energy supply, including eg the creation of a High Level Council Strategic Energy Policy group, and improving the use of the EU's energy dialogues (such as with OPEC and Russia). The paper also proposes to have an annual Commission communication on the security of EU energy supplies and the create a "wider-Europe Energy Community".
• a common European internal policy for security of energy supply,  including the idea of setting up a European Energy Supply Observatory (to identify shortfalls in terms of infrastructure and supply) and a European Centre for Energy Networks (to coordinate and improve transmission systems).
• increase the use of clean and indigenous energy sources,  including new initiatives to stimulate the uptake of renewables.
• a strategic plan for European clean energy technologies.
• Europe-wide action on energy efficiency.
• completing the internal European electricity and gas markets by 2007, including the idea for a Strategic European Internal Energy Market Plan and ideas to develop a single European grid.

It is questionable how far member states will be willing to follow the Commission in its ideas to "Europeanise" their energy policies. As recently demonstrated in the merger battles over Gaz de France and Suez or Spanish Endesa and German E-On, national governments are very sensitive when it comes to giving up some of their "crown jewels" or transferring sovereignty to the European Union.

It seems significant that, parallel to the Commission's writing of the Green Paper, the Council's Energy Working Group has been preparing a "New Energy Policy " which focuses heavily on issues of energy supply but is quite thin on new actions.

In a press release published on 3 March, Greenpeace has already expressed its disappointment about the upcoming Energy Green Paper and urged the Commission to develop a 'greener" paper. "The Commission has failed to set out crucial and fundamental questions about the future of EU energy policy. It does not, for example, question the wisdom of an EU25 dominated by large centralised fossil fuel and nuclear power plants, nor ask how to make the uptake of renewable energy and efficiency binding," Greenpeace said. 

The environmental organisation also tackles the Commission's suggestion to re-open a debate on the future of nuclear power. Referring to a recent Eurobarometer  survey which showed that only 12% of Europeans support nuclear energy, Greenpeace claims that "this debate should be long closed."

Greenpeace finally points to its own "Energy Revolution Scenario" which shows that "Europe can phase out nuclear power and, at the same time, reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 30% by 2020 to avoid dangerous climate change. By 2050, half of Europe’s energy demands could come from renewable energy sources and CO2 emissions could be reduced by nearly 75%."