The Minister of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Matthew Hancock)
I am writing to report discussions at the Energy Council in Brussels on 9 December. The UK was represented by the Deputy Permanent Representative, UKREP.
The Council discussed the governance of the 2030 climate and energy framework. The Commission emphasised the importance of regional co-operation as well as a streamlined reporting process and noted that it will bring forward proposals on governance during the course of 2015. A number of member states emphasised specifically the importance of reaching the EU-wide renewable energy target. The UK and others argued that the governance framework should allow member states the flexibility in meeting their climate targets consistent with the agreement on the 2030 climate and energy framework as reached at the October European Council. In particular, they argued that there was no need for a new renewable energy directive. The UK also noted that it would be helpful for the governance framework to ensure that all member states developed long-term plans for greenhouse gas reductions. All member states emphasised the need to streamline reporting requirements.
The Council then adopted conclusions on the completion of the internal energy market. The Commission reaffirmed the need to adopt network codes and guidelines quickly and to tackle continued market fragmentation. The Commission also noted that it would be issuing a communication on retail markets in the light of the need to give consumers real and transparent choices.
The presidency reported on progress in reaching 2020 energy and climate targets as part of the mid-term assessment of the “Europe 2020 Strategy for Smart, Sustainable and Inclusive Growth” and noted the importance of energy and climate measures for growth and jobs. The Commission and some member states emphasised the importance of concrete targets for renewable energy and energy efficiency set at national level. The UK emphasised that the economic reform strategy should remain focused on growth and employment and that climate and energy should be kept on a separate track for 2030 to avoid duplication.
The presidency then reported on developments in external energy relations over the last six months, including the US-EU Energy Council, the Euro-Mediterranean energy dialogue, and agreement on the terms of winter gas supplies between Russia and Ukraine, facilitated by the EU. The Commission noted the cancellation of the South Stream project and emphasised that European laws had to be respected. Alternative options for diversifying supply routes to central and eastern European countries had to be explored.
Under Any Other Business, Slovakia highlighted a letter to the Commission on behalf of the Visegrad four countries—Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland—requesting that the European nuclear energy forum (ENEF) should be maintained and not subsumed into another wider forum. The UK and a number of other member states supported the letter and the role of nuclear energy as part of a low-carbon mix. The Commission replied that its focus was on improving rather than ending ENEF.
Finally, the Latvian delegation presented its energy priorities for its presidency in the first half of 2015: developing the Energy Union concept; supporting the development of the 2030 governance process; and continuing discussions of energy security.