Slovenian Standpoint on European Energy Policy

The Ministry of the Economy welcomes the European Commission's efforts to achieve a more harmonised approach to European energy policy

On 10 January the European Commission published a Communication entitled 'An Energy Policy for Europe' /* COM/2007/0001 final */, in which it set out guidelines for drafting a new European energy policy. With this package the Commission seeks to connect energy more closely with the issue of climate change, increase the security of energy supply in the European Union, and establish a competitive market, which will facilitate the further development of the European economy and its global competitiveness. The point of departure of this package is combating climate change, and limiting the EU's external reliance on gas and oil imports.

The Ministry of the Economy supports an integrated and coordinated approach to European energy policies, and believes that the strategic energy overview stipulates the primary measures for reaching the goal of a sustainable, reliable and competitive energy policy.

The proposed energy measures are divided into six groups: a plan for improving interconnections in the electricity and gas networks, a strategy to promote sustainable power generation from fossil fuels, a programme for the use of nuclear energy, a plan for establishing an efficient internal market, a roadmap to promote renewable resources, and a work sheet for developing energy technologies.

The strategic energy analysis deals with the issues of all member states equally. It is the position of the Ministry that more attention should be paid to developing the transport sector in general. The transport sector is one of the biggest energy consumers in the EU27.

The proposed measures are very ambitious. The ministries believes that much effort and good will need to be invested by all member states in order to promote a sustainable, reliable and competitive energy policy.

Sustainable energy

The targets - 20% for the share of renewable energy in overall EU energy consumption and 10% minimum biofuels - are extremely ambitious. The Ministry endorses common goals, but stresses that member states have varying potential for reaching these targets. To meet them, a comprehensive analysis will need to be conducted, all potential, possible and permitted measures will need to be reviewed, and then new national commitments will need to be made. Before defining national targets, an analysis will be needed to determine why the indicative national targets set in the Directive 2001/77/EC have never been reached. Action Plans need to be drawn up before setting compulsory targets in the new Directive, not as implementing documents.

The Ministry believes that the targets need to be ambitious and that final binding targets for individual states can only be reached if common views on measures and support for common EU initiatives are adopted. Also, those mechanisms which have proved the most efficient need to be considered.

The Ministry supports efforts to accelerate the development of cleaner coal and gas technologies. However, it needs to be considered that the development of these technologies is in its initial stage, while all elements in the technology chain of disposal and storage are not fully determined. Also, with these measures, natural conditions in individual member states will need to be considered and the issues can be solved through a common approach of member states.

Energy saving measures have greater chances for success. By reducing energy consumption the share of renewable sources of energy will increase, while reducing import pressure.

Energy efficiency is not only the most economical, but also the fastest way to reduce or at least curb the increase in energy consumption and, consequently, greenhouse gas emissions. To introduce the efficient use of energy is of utmost significance for all global stakeholders in European and developing countries. Therefore, the Ministry supports the signing of the international agreement in Beijing in 2008.

The Ministry agrees with the proposal to revise guidelines for government aid for the protection of the environment as soon as possible. Besides supporting efficient energy use, the guidelines need to be revised regarding renewable sources and cogeneration. The Ministry endorses the view that systems used in countries which have made the greatest progress in the last few years should be used to stimulate producers. The 'feed-in' system is one example of good practice.

Nuclear energy

Also imperative is more intensive investment in know-how in the use of nuclear energy for energy purposes, and the handling and disposal of radioactive waste. Regulatory bodies need to be given particular weight.

Internal market for electricity and gas

The attachment referring to the timeline for planning and approving new energy projects plans and programmes needs to be revised. Environmental and spatial procedures are demanding and time-consuming and deter potential investors, so an effort should be made to speed up such procedures. An appropriate environment enabling investors to construct new facilities in a predictable and reasonable amount of time needs to be established. If legislation hinders the construction of new, more modern energy facilities in the name of environmental protection, the environment will be in greater danger. The construction of new power plants, preferably with the sustainable use of fossil fuels, is of key importance for the technological renovation of electric power generation.

The Ministry supports some measures from the package in particular, including increasing the authority of the European network of independent regulators (ERGEG+) to structure binding

The Ministry believes that in improving the coordination of networks, existing branch organisations and their documents need to be considered (such as UCTE, ETSO and the Operational Handbook).

Security of supply

With regard to the diversification of fuels, the analysis and planning of oil infrastructure needs to be included in the security of supply concept. This also needs to be discussed within the framework of Trans-European Energy Networks (TEN-E). Here, the enlargement of the energy market outside EU borders is also very significant. This concept, employed in the Energy Community Treaty, can also be applied to neighbouring regions; however, the usefulness of enlarging this Treaty is questionable.

Energy technology, research and development

Increased use of new technologies supports the further development of these technologies. This is particularly true of the development of fuel cells and sustainable hydrogen, which are currently the only ways to substantially reduce energy consumption and emissions in the industrial and transport sector. Europe seeks to become the leading initiator of changes in and ways of producing, distributing and consuming energy. In this respect the Ministry welcomes the plans of the Commission to draw up the first Strategic European Energy Technology Plan in 2007 and to publish it biannually. It also supports efforts to establish an Office of Energy Observatory within the European Commission.

The Ministry welcomes the creation of a mechanism to stimulate the construction and operation by 2015 of up to 12 large-scale demonstrations of new technologies. In technological development Slovenia will connect with all major European technological platforms.

International energy policy

The emphasis of the EU's foreign energy policy should be on improved and equal energy dialogue with Russia, increased investment in energy connections with neighbouring regions, and a more precise definition of how to cooperate with them, aid to the countries of South-East Europe in implementing the Energy Community Treaty, and consideration of a similar approach for other regions neighbouring the EU.

Source:
Ministry of the Economy