The energy ministers of the EU Member States adopted, on Tuesday 25 June in Luxembourg, 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 (see EUROPE 12281/17).
The only point in this text to be finalised between the ministers concerned the reference - requested by the representatives of the Central and Eastern European countries - to low-carbon technologies.
The adopted paragraph specifies that, in order to promote the development and deployment of innovative technologies, the EU Council of Ministers calls on the importance of "creating a level playing field" for available and emerging low-carbon technologies and market-based solutions. It stressed that the technologies to be deployed must be "reliable, safe, sustainable and environmentally sound".
"The conclusions provide a vision for energy policy in the EU to 2030 and beyond. We have particularly emphasised the importance of focussing our efforts and increasing investment in the areas of infrastructure, innovative technologies, sector coupling and integration. It is now up to the Commission to take this forward when making new proposals in the energy field.", commented Anton Anton, Romanian Minister of Energy and chair of the Council.
The Commission is invited to take into account the text of these conclusions in its future proposals, to analyse sector coupling and sector integration technologies, and to reflect the efforts needed to achieve the EU's energy and climate objectives in the context of the future review of EU state aid rules.
To read the text of the conclusions: https://bit.ly/2XFawTr (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)