Brussels, 09/09/2015 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has pointed out, in an information note published on Tuesday 8 September, that a public consultation on the review of the 2012 decision establishing an information exchange mechanism on intergovernmental agreements (IGAs) in the field of energy between EU countries and non-EU countries has been running since 30 July and will close on 22 October.
In line with the request made by the European Council of 19 March in its conclusions on energy union (see EUROPE 11279), the Commission is looking to improve the transparency and compliance with EU law of intergovernmental energy agreements signed by EU countries with third countries. It is looking for the views of stakeholders - member states' governments, energy market participants, SMEs, energy consumers, NGOs, other relevant stakeholders and citizens - on how best to proceed.
The information exchange mechanism on IGAs in the field of energy between EU countries and non-EU countries was established by the decision of the Council and of the European Parliament adopted on 25 October 2012 which came into effect in 17 November 2012. The main feature of the mechanism is that the Commission checks the compliance of the IGAs in energy after the agreements have been signed by an EU member state and a third country.
While the current system is useful for receiving information on existing IGAs and identifying problems posed by them in terms of their compatibility with EU law, it is however not sufficient to solve such problems, the Commission says. It wants, therefore, to review the IGA decision, under plans for Energy Union and in an international situation where energy security is at the centre of the political debate.
More information on how to take part in the consultation is available on the website of the Commission's DG Energy: http://goo.gl/K1pLLu . (Emmanuel Hagry)