About: security of supply Archives

Reports on US plans to attack Iran and the Bush administration even considering nuclear weapons to do so drive oil prices to an all-time high and put a question mark behind the EU's negotiating agenda.

On a visit to New Delhi, EU energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs stressed the similar challenges faced by major consuming nations, vowing to propose an international agreement on energy efficiency over the coming months.

The 23-24 March EU Summit is set to endorse the European and national Lisbon reform programmes and lay the foundations for more cooperation on energy policy, but a populist spirit of "economic patriotism" might thwart good intentions.

The EU expressed relief after an agreement was reached on the supply of gas to the Ukraine, but the challenge of the EU's reliance on energy resources from unstable or politically tense regions remains on the table.

Moving away from the traditional British scepticism about a common EU energy policy, Tony Blair has called for better co-ordination to tackle climate change and improve security of supply at EU level.

Energy security issues will be very high up the agenda of the EU-Russia half-yearly summit in London on 4 October.

Addressing the European Parliament, Energy Commissioner Piebalgs reconfirmed his intention to reduce energy demand and accelerate Europe's use of alternative energy forms.

Several MEPs called on 12 September for a fundamental shift away from the oil era into the green hydrogen economy. But is their initiative based on science or inspired by political hype?

Under pressure from the growing possibility of street fuel protests, EU finance ministers hit out at OPEC and oil companies during their informal EcoFin meeting in Manchester.

Worried about the negative effects of high energy prices on Europe's economy, Energy Commissioner Piebalgs presented a five-point action plan to counter rising oil prices.

With IEA director Claude Mandil warning of a looming world energy crisis, EU Energy Commissioner Piebalgs will on Tuesday 6 September present new measures to deal with high oil prices and possible supply problems.

The Parliament has voted to triple funds allocated to gas and electricity transmission projects to cater for an expanding European energy market after enlargement. Neighbouring countries including Russia and Turkey are also part of the plans.

Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs has attended the opening ceremony (on 25 May) of a Caspian energy pipeline with huge political significance.

The seemingly technical debate on electricity network transmission capacity is having spillover effects on the EU liberalisation process, power generation mix and geopolitics of energy supply.

An independent commission has called on the US
government to radically overhaul its energy policy. Key
recommendations include greenhouse gas limits and research into
more fuel efficient cars.

In its general approach to the proposals on the security of
electricity supply, the Energy Council has reduced the Commission's
power in decisions on infrastructure investments.

Having turned the Commission's draft directive on security of gas supply in the EU upside down to safeguard national responsibilities in this area, Parliament will now vote on changing the legal basis of the proposal.

Both Council and Parliament are opposed to the Commission's proposal for security of gas supply, saying that it has encroached too far on the responsibility of industry and national governments.

Based on their recent forecast, European power grid operators have
called for increased infrastructure investments to ensure adequate
power supply and prevent future blackouts.

The Energy Council has followed the Parliament's line on the Commission's security of gas supply proposals, ridding the draft Directive of most of its substance.

The Energy Council will meet on 15 December to discuss the Commission's new energy package, security of gas supply and energy infrastructure in a wider Europe.

The Commission is due to issue new legislation on the security of
power supply on 3 December. Its proposal to promote massive
investment in infrastructure is highly controversial.

A report by the Swiss energy ministry on the blackouts in Italy calls for a thorough application of the new EU rules on cross-border power trading and for a closer co-operation between the EU and Switzerland.

Energy policy is currently high up on the political agenda for both the EU and the US. Although passed by Congress, a controversial energy bill on 21 November failed a test vote in Senate.