EU Energy Policy Blog

Over the last 4 years the EU has begun the process of moving towards a sustainable, secure and competitive energy future. Indeed it has undergone an energy revolution. This can be seen not just in the policies that it has agreed, but the simple fact that for the first time in its history it has taken a conscious decision to collectively direct its own energy future, rather than simply leaving the market to provide its needs. I would like to reflect on what has already been achieved towards the creation of a new European Energy Policy and, probably more importantly, reflect on the direction that our energy policy will now need to take to meet the future, much greater, energy challenges that face us.

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It is misleading to only focus on energy external relations in analysing issues of security of supply. There are many crucial instruments to improve the energy security in the EU, including the Third Package, transEuropean network policy, energy efficiency and crisis mechanisms. I recently discussed these instruments in details at the CESSA final conference at Brussels. Here is the videopodcast.
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Which mix of policy tools is required to achieve the 2020 objective? My answer is we need both market based instruments and regulations. I recently discussed this issue in a Conference on Integrated Climate and Energy Policy at Bocconi University. Here is the videopodcast. Continue reading »

The opening of the electricity and gas sectors is the result of a determined effort of Heads of State and Government to move forward with an internal European Energy Market. A fully functioning EU internal energy market is the best guarantee for an open and competitive energy sector with a high standard of service, safety and quality. What does this mean in practice? Continue reading »