Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on security of energy supply and international cooperation – ‘The EU Energy Policy: Engaging with Partners beyond Our Borders’

The EU external energy policy is crucial to complete the internal energy market. Past experience has proved that bilateral energy relations between individual Member States and third supplier or transit countries can result in a fragmentation of the internal market rather than a strengthening of the EU's energy supply and competitivity.

The regulatory framework which has been progressively put in place at the EU level entails important consequences towards partner countries such as in the field of network access, safety and competition provisions. With the 2014 deadline set by the European Council to complete the internal market for electricity and gas, it is urgent to fully unfold its external dimension.

Accordingly, this Communication proposes to further develop an external energy policy with the following priorities:
- Building up the external dimension of our internal energy market;
- Strengthening partnerships for secure, safe, sustainable and competitive energy;
- Improving access to sustainable energy for developing countries; and
- Better promoting EU policies beyond its borders.

Related proposal:

- Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council setting up an information exchange mechanism with regard to intergovernmental agreements between Member States and third countries in the field of energy

EUR-Lex: COM(2011)539: Follow the progress of this document through the decision-making procedure http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2011:539:FIN

European Commission: SEC(2011)1022: Key facts and figures on the external dimension of the EU energy policy http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=SEC:2011:1022:FIN:EN:PDF

European Commission: SEC(2011)1023: Results of the public consultation on the external dimension of the EU energy policy http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=SEC:2011:1023:FIN:EN:PDF

European Commission: DG Energy: External dimension: Security of supply and international cooperation http://ec.europa.eu/energy/international/security_of_supply/cooperation_en.htm

European Commission: COM(2011)540: Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council setting up an information exchange mechanism with regard to intergovernmental agreements between Member States and third countries in the field of energy http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2011:0540:FIN:EN:PDF

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