Dependency Declaration

The European Union's unified energy strategy assumes a sharp increase in energy imports from third countries

The draft of the long-awaited unified energy strategy of the European Union, which was published yesterday by the European Commission, turned out to be not as “scary” and radical as officials hinted. Although official Brussels has already called this document “the most important and ambitious ever presented,” it contains more rhetoric than a willingness to actually act. “The goal of the European Commission is to protect Europe from the challenges of globalization,” said European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso pompously at a press conference. “This (the challenge of globalization. - Ed. ) requires a common European response in the fight against climate change, achieving a greater degree of energy security, ensuring sufficient energy supplies and acceptable prices for consumers and businesses.” He did not fail to note the challenges that Russia faces. “The recent large-scale power outages (in EU countries - Ed. ) and the current dispute between Russia and its neighbors have shown millions of our citizens the real importance of our own energy independence,” Mr. Barroso believes. “We need new policies that will make the EU's energy supplies more secure.” According to the head of the European Commission, “the coal past is behind us, the time has come to choose a future that will be insignificantly associated with hydrocarbons.”

However, these ideas are still far from reality. By 2030, Europeans' dependence on energy imports will increase significantly - from 50 to 65%. Moreover, third countries will provide 84% of the gas demand (now 55%), and 93% of the oil demand. And this trend does not seem to be reversed by any measures to invest in the development of renewable sources (their production is planned to double by 2010). Even despite the fact that European Commissioner for Energy Andris Piebalgs said yesterday that “it is better to invest 1 euro in energy today than 2 euros in the next generation.” Therefore, EU functionaries once again called on the member countries of the union to respond to the energy challenge with a united front, and not individually. Brussels is trying to obtain a mandate from national governments to fully liberalize the gas and electricity markets (including the creation of a pan-European market) and implement a more aggressive antitrust policy there.

There are still insurmountable difficulties on this path. Firstly, there is a lack of investment in the development of infrastructure necessary for the free movement of energy resources (gas and electricity) between EU members. Secondly, the lobby of European energy majors, which, despite all the anti-trust proclamations of officials, continue to successfully unite into even larger concerns (for example, the merger of the French state monopoly Gaz de France with the private Suez or the purchase just a few years ago by the newly formed German energy giant E.ON Ruhrgas of the Spanish Endesa).

Russia, which remains Europe's largest gas supplier, is barely mentioned in the report. However, there are several direct indications of the sharply negative attitude of the document’s authors towards the development of partnership with Moscow. Thus, among the priority infrastructure projects that Brussels plans to support isthe construction of a gas pipeline from the Caspian Sea to Central Europe (via Azerbaijan and Turkey). A direct pipe along the bottom of the Baltic from Russia to Germany - Nord Stream - is not on this list. But it is noted that “the participation of some non-EU countries in gas transportation projects complicates the cooperation and coordination of these projects.”

European Commissioner for Competition Neeli Cruz showed cautious optimism about the future of the free market for gas and electricity. "This report will be uncomfortable for many energy companies to read," she said. If only because officials called collusion by energy companies the main threat to consumers. But Brussels is not yet ready to seriously fight large corporations, which have long been regional monopolists and are strengthening their positions in this direction. Ms. Cruz was unable to gain support for her idea of ​​dividing the companies that most threaten the development of competition. The provision that large distributors must part with their infrastructure assets (electricity and gas networks) never appeared in the text of the strategy.

Now the EU energy strategy will be presented to the energy ministers of the member countries in February. And in March it will be discussed by the heads of state and government.

Alexey GRIVACHS