Brussels, 02/05/2003 (Agence Europe) - In Madrid, in the presence of Spanish Vice Prime Minister Rodrigo Rato, Loyola de Palacio, Commissioner for Energy, and Spencer Abraham, US Secretary for Energy, discussed energy supply security, the potential of hydrogen and nuclear energy.
The EU and the United States agreed to focus their energy dialogue on five priorities: oil markets, diversification of energy sources, electricity and gas markets, energy efficiency and environmental modes of transport, and nuclear energy. They consider that targeted actions are needed to reduce energy demand and diversify energy sources (mainly by giving preference to renewable energy sources). The EU, for its part, keeps to its commitment to respect the Kyoto Protocol criteria - that the United States has not ratified - in order to reduce CO2 emissions. It also supports indepth dialogue with producer and consumer countries.
The United States and the EU discussed the potential and the development of hydrogen as a source of energy, one of the European Commission's priorities. In October 2002, the Commission appointed a high level group entrusting it with drafting a report to be submitted during May, and it will make recommendations during June. Furthermore, the EU has undertaken several initiatives to develop this source of energy: a strategy that makes hydrogen an alternative fuel, an increased budget for the 6th Framework Programme on Research devoted to hydrogen (around EUR 200 to 300 million), and the capture and sequestration of CO2. The EU and the United States have undertaken to cooperate in this respect, mainly with regard research and within international bodies.
Finally, in the nuclear field, Loyola de Palacio has proposed to organise regular meetings of experts and European and American politicians on nuclear safety, the management of waste and the new generation of reactors. Both parties discussed the development of the International Thermonuclera Experimental Reactor (ITER), that the United States joined again in February (after having pulled out in 1999 in order to conduct its reassessment: see EUROPE of 6 February, p.18).