Conference in Ostrava recommends measures to ensure EU energy security
The conference “In Search for Security of Energy Supply of the EU Member States on the Common Electricity Market” endorsed the development of a single European transmission network and completion of the internal energy market.
The conference, attended by Czech Prime Minister and President of the EU Council Mirek Topolánek, members of the Czech, Polish, and Swedish government and European Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs, took place in Ostrava today. The main topic of the conference was EU energy security with respect to the development of a common electricity market. Keynote speakers included Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Alexandr Vondra, Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Waldemar Pawlak, Swedish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Entreprise and Energy Maud Olofsson, Czech Minister of Industry and Trade Martin Říman and the top representatives of the ČEPS, ČEZ and E.ON companies.
The participants in the conference agreed that no technology of electricity production must be discriminated against if it complies with the requirements for safety and environment protection. They stated that the EU Member States should focus their cooperation on creating a single European transmission network, simplifying and harmonising national and European standards and introducing a uniform tariff for international transmission of electricity. The EU Member States should also increase the strategic reserves of energy resources. The development of renewable resources should be accompanied by an adequate development of transmission infrastructure.
“Sufficient production capacity, a solid transmission network and adequate rules for the common electricity market – those are the topics of this conference as well as necessary conditions for reaching our goals: to provide a secure, inexpensive and stable energy supply to our citizens. Compliance with these conditions will enable us to make the best possible use of our own resources, thus lessening our dependence on imports. Compliance with these conditions calls for viewing the European electricity market as a technological unit, which in turn increases the awareness of the need for a common energy policy” stated Prime Minister Topolánek in his opening speech.
Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Alexandr Vondra emphasised that the Czech Presidency will do the maximum to accomplish the common energy market. He also wants to successfully conclude the legislative process for the third liberalisation package. “We also aim to open a discussion on better coordination of operators of transmission networks and the introduction of a single tariff for cross-border electricity transmission”, stated Vondra. In order to ensure EU energy security it is also necessary to further diversify energy resources, transmission routes and supplier countries.
The Czech Republic has chosen energy as one of the main priorities of its Presidency of the EU Council. The recent crisis regarding the supplies of gas to the EU Member States confirmed that the issue of energy security has a crucial and highly topical significance. Today’s conference in Ostrava should help identify topics for the Spring European Council. The conclusions of this conference may also be used to formulate the new EU Energy Action Plan 2010 - 2012, the form of which the Czech Presidency will begin to discuss in the spring.
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Last update: 16.8.2011 15:47
