1. New Energy Policy of the European Union : Belgian comments
Context
At the summit of Hampton Court the heads of State and the leaders of governments of the
European Union have emphasised the necessity of endowing with a real European Energy
policy. Certain recent events (high oil prices, exports of Russian gas), have showed how much
energy questions could influence our security, our competitiveness or our environment.
Belgium considers energy policy as being integrally part of the Lisbon Strategy and within a
larger framework, of the European strategy for a sustainable development. The energy
strategies have an undeniable impact on numerous other policies. Belgium wants to maintain
coherence and create synergies between this European energy policy and the other European
programmes (Climate Change, Competitiveness and Innovation, ….)
Internal and External European policy
Moreover, in the field of external relations, the pursue of a European energy policy imposes
that Europe could speak with one single voice and could weigh with its entire economic and
political might on the dialogue with third countries, with the producing countries as well as
with the consuming countries. The European Union is in need of a European energy policy
that is ambitious, community oriented and sustainable, aiming at reducing our energy
dependency and improving the competitiveness of our economies.
Priority axes of a European energy policy
- security of supplies and deliveries (energy security)
- competitiveness and access to energy to all
- sustainable development of our energy systems
1. security of supplies and deliveries (energetic security)
- Security of supplies lies at the basis of every energy policy - every serious disorder, let
alone the interruption of the supply of oil and natural gas would involve serious
consequences on our economies. In order to reinforce this security, the countries of the
European Union have to diversify their energetic vectors (energy mixes) their
(geographical) sources of supply, and their roads of supply (pipelines, gas pipelines, LPG
terminals, power transmission lines,…)
- Reinforce their storage policies (oil and natural gas)
- Improve the monitoring on the markets (oil, gas and electricity) (in close collaboration
with the International Energy Agency, i.e. with non EU-countries such as the USA,
Norway,…)
The liberalisation of the gas and electricity markets and the multiplication of the trade and
exchanges resulting in this has brought about new elements of uncertainty as to the liability of
the grids. In order to ensure continuity of deliveries to industrial and domestic consumers,
investments for the renewal and the extension of the production and transport capacities
(including the cross border interconnections) must be the subject of integrated indicative and
co-ordinated plans (long term integrated European policy of the means of production and
transport).

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2. competitiveness and access to energy to all
By reducing our energy consumption (in all areas, industry, transport, residential) we are
improving our global competitiveness, reducing our dependency, reducing the gases causing
the greenhouse effect. (at point 3). Belgium estimates that beyond the integral implementation
of the present liberalisation guidelines of the gas and electricity sectors, there is a need for
- reinforcing consultation among operators, regulators and authorities
- reinforcing access to transmission networks and storage facilities
- reinforcing energetic efficiency within industry (international competition), within the
household sector and in the transport sector.
- reinforcing policies in matters of R&D, demonstration and propagation of new
technologies
- considering that energy is a means of prime necessity within a totally liberalised market.
Operators have to comply with obligations of public service (foreseen in the existing
guidelines). These obligations should guarantee at any time access to energy at an
affordable price, within the framework of a social policy, as consumers’ interests have to
be safeguarded.
3. sustainable development of our energy systems
Such as for energy security and competitiveness, the improvement of energy efficiency, the
increasing appeal to renewable energies, co-generation, better demand side ..will enable the
EU to pursue a sustainable policy which preserves natural resources, environment and
contributes to the climate change strategy.
On behalf of this, Belgium insists on registering for the priority actions of European energy
policy under the chapter sustainability of energy systems:
- the reinforcement of the policies improving energy efficiency covering all areas
- the intensification of the support (and mitigation of obstacles) for renewable energies
(considering the most cost/benefit investments and the regional specificity’s)
- a better co-ordination of energy and environmental policies, mainly in the field of the
climatic change policy, better foreseeability and transparency of the post 2012 objectives
(indispensable for the decisions on investment into the energy sector)
- contributions of the Energy Council to the follow-up of the climatic strategy and to the
emission trading system (ETS)
- the reinforcement of the policies of demand side management
- the improvement and harmonisation of the energy norms of products,
In order to achieve ambitious objectives in these areas, the EU has to reinforce its policy in
support of R, D& D in this matter. The EU also has to influence durably the behaviours and
habits intending to reinforce its policies with regard to public information, sensitisation, and
education.
Within the framework of external policies of Europe and with the purpose of strengthening
our own actions:

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- simplify the access to energy has to be facilitated and the supply of efficient and available
energy services, more particularly in the developing countries and regarding to the
definition of the ways of consumption and sustainable production at global level
- act actively within international negotiations and reinforce the dialogue with the major oil
and gas producers
- act actively within international negotiations on climatic change and reinforce the
dialogue with the main GHG emitting countries.
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