Brussels, 26/11/2015 (Agence Europe) - In conclusions adopted on Thursday 26 November, EU energy ministers set out strategic and technical guidelines for the Commission for a governance system to monitor realisation of the energy union project and ensure that the EU's energy and climate targets are met.
Implementing the five dimensions closely linked to energy union - energy security, solidarity and trust; a fully integrated energy market; energy efficiency contributing to moderation of demand; decarbonising the economy; and research, innovation and competitiveness - requires a reliable and transparent governance system which does not impose any unnecessary administrative burden.
The governance system will be based on the existing building blocks, such as national climate programmes, national plans for renewable energy and energy efficiency. It will provide the necessary flexibility for member states and fully respect their freedom to choose their energy mix. Through the long-term planning by member states, covering all five dimensions of the energy union equally, it will enhance the stability and predictability of the investment climate.
In its conclusions, the Council highlights key components of the governance system: - a national energy and climate plan to be adopted by each member state for the period from 2021 to 2030, followed by progress reports on the implementation of the national plan, both based on standardised templates; - constructive dialogues between the Commission and the member states; - monitoring and evaluation based, inter alia, on key indicators. (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)