Brussels, 08/12/2009 (Agence Europe) - On the sidelines of the Energy Council in Brussels on Monday 7 December, energy ministers from nine EU countries - Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom - signed a joint statement on developing a massive network of offshore wind turbines in the northern seas of Europe. “This ambitious project is not only attractive to those countries that border the northern seas, it is also important for the EU's future energy mix,” said Belgian Minister Paul Magnette, whose initiative it was. “The offshore wind energy potential in the northern seas is huge, exceeding even the energy equivalent of Middle Eastern oil,” he added. The energy sectors of the countries involved will work together to prepare a work plan for linking the wind farms in the various northern seas of Europe. Ministers will present a full plan next autumn, with a view to the first link-ups in 2015. (E.H./transl.rt)