Brussels, 16/11/2000 (Agence Europe) - European Commissioner for Energy Loyola de Palacio and French Secretary of State for Industry Christian Pierret are to represent the European Union at the 7th Energy Forum bringing together the oil and gas producer and consumer countries, from 17 to 19 November in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Around fifty countries and several international organisations are invited to discuss four themes: 1) the global energy panorama; 2) energy, sustainable development and technology; 3) energy industry and market restructuring; and the 4) outlook for producer/consumer dialogue.
Commissioner de Palacio is expected on this occasion to propose concrete means for developing energy dialogue between the EU and producer countries. On the fringe of the Forum, she will meet energy ministers from Algeria, Saudi Arabia, the United States, Iran, Mexico, Norway, the United Kingdom, Russia and Venezuela (the latter holding OPEC presidency). The consumer countries are again expected to call for a rise in production in order to bring oil prices down.