In this special briefing, energy journalist Hughes Belin picks out the top 5 energy issues that will be discussed by the European institutions in the next six months, under the Dutch EU Presidency.
1. Gas supply: In February, the Commission is due to launch a review of the regulation on security of gas supply and of its sister regulation on security of electricity supply. The Commission will also review the EU’s information exchange mechanism for intergovernmental agreements (IGAs) on energy, publish a strategy for LNG and storage, and a strategy for heating & cooling.
2. Energy labelling: The EU is currently revising its energy labelling directive for consumer goods. Industry and energy MEPs will not agree on a position before the 24th of May at the earliest.
3. Electricity market: The Dutch Presidency will address the potential of regional cooperation on energy in the North Sea at a high-level meeting on the 4th of February and will hold an informal energy council in Amsterdam on the 10th and 11th of April, focused on electricity market design.
4. Nuclear: The Commission intends to publish a new ‘Nuclear Illustrative Programme for the Community’, or PINC in February.
5. Statistics: The Commission is working to update its 2050 energy forecasts during the first half-year of 2016. It will also update its report on energy prices and costs. Meanwhile, work has just started on revising the collection of electricity and gas price statistics.
This briefing was first published on ViEUws.eu and is reposted here with permission.