Brussels, 13/03/2006 (Agence Europe) - At a meeting, to be chaired by the Austrian Economy Minister Martin Bartenstein, in Brussels this Tuesday, Energy Ministers will, prior to the European Spring Council of 23 and 24 March, hold a political discussion on the Green Paper on energy, adopted by the Commission on 8 March (see EUROPE 9147). The debate will be structured around the following questions drawn up by the Austrian Presidency. Do Energy Ministers share the Commission's point of view on the challenges to the Community energy policy and the proposed solutions? Are there other dimensions to the energy policy that the Commission has not raised? What are Energy Ministers' main concerns and preferred solutions? Following Tuesday's debate, the Austrian Presidency will draw upon its own conclusions which it will present to the European Spring Council.
The energy council will also adopt without discussion conclusions on the “new energy policy for Europe” which will form its contribution at the Spring Summit. Finally the Austrian Presidency will inform the council of the progress of the Agriculture Council on bio-energy and Poland will present its own proposal for an energy security treaty to the Council (see EUROPE 9140).