Brussels, 17/02/2009 (Agence Europe) - The recent gas crisis and the package on energy security and solidarity will be at the centre of discussions of the second Energy Council of the Czech Presidency, in Brussels on Thursday 198 February. European energy ministers, under the chairmanship of their Czech counterpart Martin Øiíman, will also discuss the issue of strategic oil stocks and the security of natural gas supply. Ministers will debate, too, the chapter on energy infrastructure in the European economic recovery plan.
Energy security. After the extraordinary meeting of 12 January, and based on assessments given by the Presidency Czech and the European Commission, the Energy Council will hold an exchange of views on the follow-up to the gas crisis at the start of the year, resulting from a trade conflict between Russia and Ukraine that affected several EU member states (see EUROPE 9811-9822).
Following on from the debate in the Energy Council of 9 December (see EUROPE 9799), energy ministers will adopt conclusions on the second strategic review of energy policy and the European plan of action on energy security and solidarity, submitted by the Commission in November (see EUROPE 9782). Completing the measures of the energy/climate package, the five-point plan of action on energy security is based on: - infrastructure needs and diversification of sources of supply; - external relations; - oil and gas stocks and reaction mechanisms in the event of a crisis; - energy efficiency; - best use of the EU's own resources. The Council conclusions will set short- and long-term energy security priorities.
Working from a questionnaire drafted by the Presidency, the Council will also hold a policy debate on two related proposals. Firstly, a proposal for a directive requiring member states to maintain minimum stocks of oil or petroleum products, which will replace directives 2006/67/EC and 73/238/EEC and decision 68/416/EEC of the Council. This proposal seeks to improve the operation of current mechanisms on oil stocks in order to ensure that oil is available in the event of a crisis. To this end, it seeks to improve the regulatory framework and encourage member states to create a central stockholding entity. It also proposes the voluntary creation of stocks specifically established for they purposes of this directive. Furthermore, the proposal seeks to align intra-EU rules with International Energy Agency-led action on the release of emergency oil stocks. Secondly, the Commission communication on measures to ensure security of natural gas supply. Discussions on this document will contribute to the reflection process prior to the re-assessment of directive 2004/67/EC on the security of natural gas supply.
Economic recovery plan. Over lunch, ministers will discuss with Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs the chapter on energy infrastructure projects, contained in the European economic recovery plan put forward by the Commission on 28 January (see EUROPE 9828). Discussion is expected to focus mainly on the award criteria suggested by the Commission in the proposal for a regulation establishing an aid programme for economic recovery through the granting of Community financial assistance to energy projects and on how the proposed projects meet these criteria.
External dimension. The Bulgarian delegation will brief the Council on the Sofia Energy Summit, “Natural gas for Europe: security and partnership” to be held on 24-25 April. Representatives of 28 countries, EU member states and third countries involved in the Southern Gas Corridor have been invited to this conference, which results from the energy dialogue between Bulgarian President H.E. Georgi Parvanov and his counterparts from the Central Asian and Caspian Sea countries. The Hungarian delegation will present the results of the international conference held on its own initiative in Budapest on 26-27 January on the gas pipeline project Nabucco (see EUROPE 9827). Lastly, the Czech Presidency will present the results of the conference in Ostrava on 29-30 January on security of energy supply of EU member states in the common electricity market. (E.H./transl.rt)