Stengthening the EU's Energy Security after COVID-19

Submitted by Tedora Aibu on 18 May 2020

A recent Eurobarometer survey conducted in throughout the European Union has confirmed that all EU Member States and citizens overwhelmingly support to increase ambitions to strengthen Europe’s energy security. The survey revealed that nine out of 10 Europeans agree the EU’s energy policy priorities should be to ensure secure, clean, and affordable energy for all Europeans. In terms of EU energy policy, the public acknowledges the role it plays in shifting from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources to combat climate change, decreasing energy consumption across the EU and facilitating more competitive prices for consumers. For the coming 10 years, the EU is expected to prioritise

i) investing and developing clean energy technologies,

ii) ensuring that costs are as low as possible, and

iii) stepping up international efforts to reduce climate change. 

In 2019, the EU completed a comprehensive update of its energy policy framework to facilitate the transition away from fossil fuels towards cleaner energy and deliver on the EU’s Paris Agreement commitments for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The agreement on this new energy rulebook called the Clean Energy for all European package marked a significant step towards the implementation of the energy union strategy, published in 2015, and the adaptation of the Regulation on risk preparedness in the electricity sector. After the crisis of COVID-19 passes, energy security will remain an important issue at the heart of European energy policy and key for a more resilient society. Despite this uncertainty, EU leaders have underlined the importance of pressing on with the ambition of becoming climate-neutral by 2050. Thereforethis should influence the public and private investment decisions and new policy programmes that will follow in the coming months.

To express your interest and discuss this topic in the COVID-19 Forum, please click here. © European Union, 1995-2020. 

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