European Energy Ministers are meeting on Tuesday 25 June in Luxembourg to adopt conclusions on the future of energy systems in the Energy Union. The European Commission will inform ministers of recent developments in external relations in the energy sector.
At a working lunch, European ministers will discuss the international role of the euro in the energy sector. The debate will not be structured, ministers should give ideas on how to strengthen the role of the euro in energy transactions. On 5 December 2018, the Commission made suggestions in this regard.
Annual trading volumes on European energy markets exceed €40 billion. More than 90% of aggregate transactions related to oil, gas and other energy products are carried out in currencies other than the euro, the Commission said.
Future of energy systems. The EU Council will be invited to adopt conclusions on the future of energy systems in the Energy Union to ensure the energy transition and the achievement of energy and climate objectives towards 2030 and beyond.
The only point still discussed concerns the request of some Eastern European countries to refer, among the new technologies, to ‘low carbon technologies’. However, some other Member States wish to avoid mentioning this term as much as possible, which could include technologies using fuel obtained from fossil fuels.
The EU Council underlines in the draft conclusions that the Commission should carry out an analysis of sector coupling and sector integration technologies and reflect the efforts required to reach the EU's energy and climate targets in the context of any future revision of the EU state aid rules. Three fields of work are highlighted: energy infrastructure, the development of innovative technologies and the importance of sector coupling and sector integration.
The European Commission will give a presentation about recent international energy developments (see EUROPE 12272/11).
Finally, it will present its communication on the draft integrated national energy and climate plans (see EUROPE 12277/4).
Finland's upcoming Presidency of the EU Council will present its work programme and energy priorities. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)