European Union News - Energy

The European Commission published a first Communication on the European stress tests of nuclear power plants. According to the Communication, the European stress tests of nuclear power plants are well on track and will further enhance nuclear safety and security in the EU. The final results will be known in 2012 once the tests are finalised.

The European Commission has proposed that the EU accede to a Protocol of the Barcelona Convention that protects the Mediterranean against pollution from offshore exploration and exploitation activities, the "Offshore Protocol". EU ratification of the Protocol is likely to stimulate ratification by other Parties to the Barcelona Convention, bringing the waters of the Mediterranean closer to good environmental status, the ultimate goal of the EU Marine Framework Directive.

The European Commission adopted a plan which will fund €50 billion worth of investment to improve Europe's transport, energy and digital networks. This aims at creating jobs and boosting Europe's competitiveness at a time when Europe needs this most. In addition the Commission adopted the terms for the Europe 2020 Project Bond Initiative which will be one of a number of risk-sharing instruments upon which the facility may draw in order to attract private finance in projects.

The Council adopted a new framework for monitoring of energy markets. The monitoring wholesale energy markets will be done in order to effectively detect and deter market abuse and manipulation, thereby ensuring the integrity and transparency of those markets.

Two Europeans in three see climate change as a very serious problem and almost 80% consider that taking action to combat it can boost the economy and jobs. The results of a special Eurobarometer survey published shows that the European public is more concerned about climate change than it was in 2009.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has undertaken to participate in financing the France-Spain interconnector with a €350 million loan. This is the first trans-European direct current link using innovative converter technology. The commercial launch of the interconnector is scheduled for 2014.

The Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting concluded with the doubt to reach a further agreement on the distribution of food products for the most deprived in the UE. In addition, the ministers discussed the energy use of biomass of agricultural origin and were briefed on the crisis in the fruit and vegetables sector and on the complementary national direct payments in 2012.

MEPs approved a resolution that demands stricter rules to reduce emissions of fluorinated gases. They also stated at the resolution that European climate policy often focuses on carbon dioxide whereas tougher measures against other greenhouse emissions could be relatively cheap and deliver quick results.

The European Parliament in plenary session adopted new rules in order to prevent abuses in wholesale energy trading, and thus protect end consumers. Thanks to this Regulation, wholesale trading will now be monitored independently across the EU, to enable Member States to prevent and punish anti-competitive behaviour. Once the Regulation is agreed by the Council formally at first-reading it will enter into force 20 days after its publication in the EU Official Journal.

Two major EU-funded nuclear waste-disposal projects have allowed researchers to reach a consensus on several key issues surrounding the chemical durability of both high-level waste glass and spent nuclear fuel, thanks to the publication of their results.