The EU executive will inform ministers next month about the long-awaited plan, which will set out policy priorities in the field of energy for the next five years, Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger's spokesperson confirmed.
Originally intended to take effect this year, it has already been delayed and the EU executive is now expected to adopt the plan at the beginning of 2011.
The plan represents the follow-up to the 2007-2009 blueprint approved by European leaders in 2007, which launched a common European energy policy. It resulted in the adoption of the energy and climate package, which turned the EU's '20-20-20' goals into legislation, and the third energy market package, which sought to further liberalise the bloc's energy market.
Spain, which holds the EU's six-month rotating presidency, had pushed for the plan to be adopted at the spring summit in March, with no success.
Madrid presented a report outlining the priorities of the energy action plan for 2010-2014 at an informal meeting of energy ministers in February, taking the EU's Second Strategic Energy Review as the basis of the future strategy (EurActiv 14/11/08).
While the 2007-2009 plan concentrated on sustainability and the internal market, the new roadmap would focus on security of supply issues and technology development, Spain said, noting that it would also include long-term priorities and a strategic analysis of the energy sector of 2030-2050.
Some upcoming proposals have already been announced, including a revision of the EU's Energy Efficiency Action Plan. The new energy commissioner said he would present proposals at the beginning of next year, after the outgoing Commission had decided against presenting a draft (EurActiv 13/10/09).
The EU executive is also considering presenting a new infrastructure package in November, which would seek to address the integration of renewable energies into the grid and the development of smart grids.
This spring, the Commission will publish a communication on the evaluation of the Trans-European Energy Networks (TEN-E), which rank energy infrastructure projects that are eligible for EU assistance.
A new energy security and infrastructure instrument to replace TEN-E is due to be presented in June, according to sources.
_stack2.jpg){kind=small}
