At the North Seas Energy Cooperation Ministerial Meeting in The Hague on 20 November, as part of the annual North Sea Conference, eight EU countries (Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, Sweden, the Netherlands), Norway and the European Commission adopted a joint action programme to achieve an integrated energy system by 2050, a sustainable supply chain in Europe and “a better balance between energy and nature in the North Sea”. The United Kingdom took part as a guest.
This action programme is in line with the ambitions set out in Ostend in April 2023 (see EUROPE 13168/14) and the European wind energy package presented on 24 October, as the European Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson, pointed out in her opening address (see EUROPE 13296/11).
A collective bidding plan has been launched, auctioning around 15 GW each year and allocating almost 100 GW between this year and 2030.
In addition, the countries wish to better coordinate the planning of their offshore infrastructures. In January 2024, the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) will publish a joint infrastructure plan for the North Sea, with contributions from the North Seas Energy Cooperation countries.
To see the joint action programme, go to https://aeur.eu/f/9n4 (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)