Brussels, 30/06/2016 (Agence Europe) - On the sidelines of a meeting in Beijing with the energy ministers from the G20 countries on Wednesday 29 June, European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Canete and Nur Bekri, Director of the Chinese National Energy Administration, signed a roadmap to strengthen EU-China energy cooperation for the next four years. The main objective is to stimulate the development of clean energy and fight against climate change.
As the cornerstone of their strategic partnership and transition towards a low-carbon economy, the roadmap is aimed at increasing cooperation between the EU and China on the security of energy supply, energy infrastructure and market transparency.
The agreement lays the foundations for sharing best practices with regards to energy regulation, demand and supply analysis, energy crisis, and nuclear safety, as well as grid design and the integration of renewable energy into the electricity grid.
Moreover, the roadmap is aimed at fostering trade and investment in renewable energy (with the knock-on effects of boosting competition and lowering costs). It is also aimed at working together on promoting combined heat and power systems, expanding the bio-gas sector and promoting smart grids.
Energy efficiency is key in this agreement, as the EU and China are committed to working on boosting energy efficient appliances and developing energy standards in consumer goods, and increasing business cooperation on eco-design methods.
In addition, the agreement includes an international cooperation dimension through which the EU and China will work on improving conditions for trade and investment in the energy sector. The EU will seek to support increased participation from China in the international energy institutions, and the two parties will cooperate within the framework of the Energy Charter Treaty.
Both sides commit to establishing strengthened cooperation through discussions (on regulatory frameworks, market developments, trade and investment, and the global energy architecture) and an energy research platform, business fora in the energy sector, and cooperation projects that develop and implement energy efficient, clean and low-carbon technologies.
Progress on the roadmap will be assessed in 2018. The document can be found at: http://goo.gl/y2zJ1i . (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)