EU ministers in charge for energy met in Brussels on 22 March to held a debate over the recent developments in Japan and North Africa and their implications in global energy market and consequences over European energy supply. Briefed by the Commission over the last developments, ministers discussed the measures to be taken both at EU and national level. Regarding the debate around nuclear security, ministers pointed out that the global character of this issue would need for neighbouring countries to be involved in this risk assessment process.

EU ministers responsible for Energy agreed that, although international developments are affecting world energy markets and EU supplies, member states have so far been able to cope with the consequences for the gas and oil markets. However, the Council stressed the need to keep these markets and their impact on the EU under close watch, including as regards price developments. As stressed by the special meeting of the Council on energy matters which took place in February 2011 ensuring the energy supply must remain as a key in European strategy for energy. The Council, therefore, underlined the need to fully implement the orientations agreed for the new Energy 2020 strategy.

Nuclear plants stress tests, the need for transparency

As far as nuclear safety is concerned, EU ministers agreed that the priority is to ensure that the highest standards are in force, improving safety is a continuing process. The Council welcomed voluntary steps taken by national authorities and industry operators regarding the review of the safety of nuclear facilities agreed at the coordinating meeting held in Brussels in light of the events at the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan. They also highlighted the importance to involve neighbouring third countries in a similar safety and risk assessment for existing and future plants.

Minister reaffirmed the shared willingness to launch a process for defining a comprehensive risk and safety assessment, the so-called stress test of nuclear plants in Europe, underlining the importance of transparency regarding both the outcome of this assessment and measures taken by member states at national level.

Member states and the Commission have invited the European Nuclear Safety Regulators Group (ENSREG) and other relevant bodies to define the scope and modalities of such tests, making use of the available expertise and in due course of the lessons to be learnt from the recent accident.