“There must be coordination, cooperation, and harmonisation for renewable energy,” Hollande said when asked to react to statements by Gérard Mestrallet, the CEO of GDF Suez who has complained about overcapacity in the renewable energy sector.

The European Union, Hollande explained, needs to “encourage the best renewable energies and refrain from changing the rules along the way, like was unfortunately the case in France in recent years”.

As part of Ukraine’s campaign to win Germany’s sympathies, the country’s deputy Prime Minister Alexander Vilkul visited Berlin on 22-23 May, meeting with senior German officials in an attempt to highlight economic benefits the Association Agreement will bring to Germany and the European Union as a whole.

Jacek Saryusz-Wolski is a Polish MEP and vice-president of the European People's Party (EPP)

“Security, sustainability and competitiveness - this trinity determines the goals of European energy policy. There is, however, internal inconsistency within their implementation. In times of crisis in particular, the so far lopsided approach can be particularly costly in terms of growth and jobs. It can also lead to weakening of European external policy, especially in the East.

EU leaders held a two-hour and a half discussion on energy with the objective of lowering prices and boosting the Union’s industrial competitiveness.

The summit conclusions suggest that no major decisions were taken, indicating that "the supply of affordable and sustainable energy to our economies is crucial" in the current economic context.

The future of shale gas in Europe was high on the agenda at an EU summit in Brussels yesterday (22 May), with leaders stressing the “crucial” role that such indigenous energy resources could play in reviving industry.

But according to David Hughes, a geoscientist and former team leader on unconventional gas for the Canadian Potential Gas Committee, the US boom on which many base their expectations is founded on shifting sands. 

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Friedbert Pflüger

Friedbert Pflüger

Wed, 2013-05-22 14:39

• energy

Friedbert Pflüger is director of the European Centre for Energy and Resource Security at King's College, London. Throughout his political career he served as Parliamentary Secretary of State in the first Merkel government (2005-2006) and was a member of the German Bundestag from 1990-2006. He also worked as press secretary for the former German President Richard von Weizsäcker..

He spoke to EurActiv Slovakia Editor Lenka Ferenčáková.

Claude Turmes is a Green MEP from Luxembourg.

When Heads of State meet today and discuss energy policy they will remain silent on one of the key problems in the EU internal electricity market.

The German government provides its energy intensive industry with exemptions giving them an unfair competitive advantage over neighbouring countries' businesses.

Despite crying wolf, German industry companies are enjoying a 10 year low on electricity prices.

How is this possible?