Brussels, 08/03/2012 (Agence Europe) - In Le Figaro on 8 March, the EU high representative for foreign affairs, Catherine Ashton, and Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger set out a plan for making the EU's energy supplies secure.
Ashton and Oettinger explain that the “harsh reality for Europe when it comes to energy is that it produces less on its territory and must import more from abroad. The problem does not lie in the need to buy oil and gas from elsewhere. It lies in knowing where to buy it from”. They underline that, apart from Norway, there are few supplier countries that are stable democracies maintaining cordial relations with the EU. So, they ask, what should Europe do?
First of all, energy security should be considered a central item of the foreign policy agenda, which means that peace, democracy, rule of law, the eradication of poverty, the stability of investment rules and free trade become “intrinsic virtues”, they say. They are confident that EU support for the countries rich in energy resources and pursuing such objectives will guarantee supply stability.
The EU must also diversify its energy sources “as far as possible” in order to prevent the escalation of supply interruption problems within the EU. This is a necessity that lies at the basis of the development of the South Corridor, which aims to carry, via Turkey, gas from the Caspian Sea to a part of Europe that is “almost dependent upon a single monopolistic supplier” that Ashton and Oettinger do not name - Russia. The EU must also diversify its energy mix, open it up more to renewables, which would reduce dependency on non-EU sources and open up prospects for collaboration on green technologies.
The third pillar of the plan is EU support for the modernisation of methods for carrying energy in transit countries such as Ukraine, as well as better use of oil-gas proceeds and the promotion of transparency in producer countries such as Nigeria.
The EU must also improve its dialogue with producers, traditional suppliers like Russia, Norway and Algeria and with new suppliers like Qatar and Western Africa, but also with major consumers like China and India. Ashton and Oettinger suggest that the gap with the IEA countries should be closed and that joint action should be stepped up in the area of green technology.
Finally, the EU must pursue its efforts within the G8 and other international bodies in order to promote the principles that govern energy supply security, such as those of the energy charter. (EH/transl.jl)