Brussels, 05/12/2014 (Agence Europe) - The issues on the agenda of the first session of the Energy Council in the Juncker Commission era, on Tuesday 9 December, are completion of the EU's internal energy market and the framework for action for the 2030 climate and energy policies.
However, the infrastructure issues (particularly South Stream, given Russia's announcement this week that the project might be abandoned) and external energy relations (especially after the 31 October agreement between Russia and Ukraine under EU mediation) will take up much of the time - both during the energy ministers' meeting, and on the sidelines of it. European Commissioner for Energy Union Maros Sefcovic will review the situation with the ministers of the stakeholder countries in the South Stream project on Tuesday, and will meet the ministers from Greece, Cyprus and Israel the previous day, who will present him with the gas pipeline project for the Eastern Mediterranean.
Under the leadership of Italy's energy minister, Claudio de Vincenti, the EU's energy ministers will hold a policy debate on the follow-up of the 2030 action framework for climate and energy, set at the last European Council in October (see EUROPE 11184). In particular, they will discuss the new process of governance that will support implementation of the agreed framework and contribute to making it coherent.
The Council is also due to adopt conclusions on completing the internal energy market. The conclusions were developed on the basis of the Commission's stock-taking in October (see EUROPE 11176).
In addition, the Council will hold a policy debate on the mid-term review of the EUROPE 2020 strategy. The Presidency and the Commission will also inform the ministers about the latest developments in external energy relations (including with Russia, Ukraine, the US, the Mediterranean and the Energy Community). (EH)