Brussels, 02/10/2007 (Agence Europe) - José Manuel Durao Barroso, European Commission President, and his colleagues, Andris Piebalgs (energy) and Neelie Kroes (competition), addressed the main leaders of the European energy sector - Areva, EDF, Endesa, Enel, E.ON, Iberdrola, Repsol, Royal Dutch Shell, RWE and Union Fenosa - at a conference on “European Energy Challenges” organised in Madrid on Monday 1 October, as a tribute to the former European commissioner, Loyola de Palacio (who died in 2006). They firmly defended their proposals for improving the functioning of the internal market (3rd legislative package on the internal energy market - EUROPE 9505).
Mr Piebalgs reviewed all the proposals tabled by the Commission: - unbundling of production/distribution activities and transport networks from energy operators; the safeguard clause to ensure that third country operators cannot acquire control over Community networks; strengthened powers for national electricity and gas regulators and the Community Agency for strengthening cooperation; measures for increased cooperation between transport network managers and the demand for network investment plans over ten years; increased transparency to the benefit of consumers. Piebalgs confirmed two future projects for the Community energy policy, namely a new directive on renewable energies and a strategy for the development of energy technologies. The energy commissioner also announced that the Commission will be preparing a series of initiatives in 2008 on energy efficiency (minimum norms for products, better labelling, improved norms for buildings, more performant transport systems in European towns and cities, etc).
Clearly alluding to the use of nuclear energy, which is hard to circumvent, President Barroso's speech was undeniably the main point of the conference. Gearing his approach to a necessary “third industrial revolution” based on new energy technology to make the European economy a low-carbon economy, Barroso pointed out that the “member states cannot avoid the question of nuclear power”. “There has to be a full and frank debate about the issue”, the Commission president stressed, saying: “It is not the EU's role to decide for member states whether they use nuclear energy or not. But the EU can make a contribution in related areas, for example on research and on safety”. His colleague, Neelie Kroes, said that, personally, she was “completely in favour of nuclear power”. Andris Piebalgs, on the other hand, was more cautious and called for the “courage to discuss the issue”. The energy commissioner nonetheless said in an interview on the same day with the Spanish daily, El Pais, that it would be necessary to have 30% of energy from nuclear energy provision in order to ensure the EU27's energy security.
The spokesman for the Commission, Johannes Laitenberger, was called upon to clarify these stances to the press in Brussels. He confirmed Mr Barroso's “agnostic” position on the nuclear option, saying: “The president only recommends that some member states reflect seriously on the issue. It should not be interpreted as going any further than this”. According to several observers who answered questions put by EUROPE, it is difficult to deny Barroso's position in favour of an energy source which has the advantage, according to its promoters, of not producing greenhouse gases, and of allowing the EU to free itself of external energy dependency and to provide visibility in terms of costs.
In Madrid, industrialists of the energy sector echoed the Commission president's views. “We are before a renaissance of nuclear power”, said Anne Lauvergeon, CEO of Areva, French leading global group in nuclear energy. Chairman and CEO of EDF Pierre Gadonneix was “convinced that nuclear power is the response to European challenges”. Rafael Miranda, President of Eurelectric took the view that the energy mix is of fundamental importance. No technology should be neglected, she said, adding that she is clearly in favour of nuclear power and renewable energies. Wulf Bernotat, Chairman and CEO of E.ON, said “public opinion has to be changed” in Germany where the debate on nuclear energy is a “very religious” subject and “should have a place”. Urging politicians to take time over debate but to take decisions nonetheless, Ms Lauvergeon called for a “less ideological but more practical” debate. “Everybody knows that some day we will have to tackle the nuclear issue, and when we discuss it in private settings, everybody agrees”, said Pierre Gadonneix, before going on to conclude: “The issue is not technical. The issue is how to make nuclear acceptable for public opinion. It is clearly a political responsibility and the Commission has a role to play”. (eh)