Page 14 - European Energy Innovation - Summer 2017 publication

14 Summer 2017 European Energy Innovation
THE ENERGY UNION
An Energy Union for
European citizens
The European Economic and Social Committee, one of the progenitors of the concept
By Pierre Jean Coulon (pictured), President of the Section for Transport, Energy, Infrastructure and the
Information Society (TEN) of the EESC
The Energy Union is one of
the European Commission’s
top priorities, the strategy
for which was launched in
March 2015. The EESC had already
issued an opinion in January 2012
(I was the rapporteur) calling for the
establishment of a European Energy
Community – an idea close to
Jacques Delors’ heart – and for civil
society to be involved in this
process. The Energy Union has many
similarities with this initial concept for affect people’s well-being and the
an Energy Community, in particular
the idea that energy challenges need to
be treated as interconnected
issues, and addressed in a spirit of
solidarity.
Our work is based on the principle
that energy has now become a basic
necessity, without which there can be
no business and, indeed, no decent
life at all (including health, education, THE CONCEPT OF THE ENERGY
training, trade and industry, and access
to other needs such as water and
telecoms). Energy costs and prices,
and security of supply, thus directly
competitiveness of businesses large
and small.
This is why the EESC has been closely
involved in the process of developing
the Energy Union. The Committee
has published 23 opinions directly
related to this initiative, and it is not
done yet. Its opinions have addressed
both general aspects such as the
establishment of the Energy Union, and
more sector-specific aspects.
Discussions between the EESC
members themselves, and with their
counterparts in the Member States,
experts, all stakeholders and the other
European institutions, have revolved
around five main themes:
• civil society’s broadly positive
response to the general idea of the
Energy Union;
• concerns about prices and market
distortions;
• the importance of acknowledging
the social and societal dimension of
energy transition;
• a focus on vulnerabilities and
prospects for consumers; and
• the need for civil society to be
involved in governance of the
Energy Union.
UNION
In its opinions, the EESC has:
• underlined the need for an Energy
Union in light of the challenges
facing Europe’s economies, not least
their heavy dependence on external
energy supplies (still nearly 60%);
• highlighted the overall importance
of the Energy Union for Europe’s
political project, presenting the free
movement of energy as the fifth EU
freedom; and
• stressed the importance of political
will and vision, shared by the
institutions and by the Member
States, in achieving Energy Union.
While the EESC takes a positive view
of the concept, there are a number of
aspects that in my opinion merit further
attention by the European institutions
and Member States.
ENERGY MARKET DISTORTIONS
AND PRICES
The proper functioning of the energy
market – particularly the electricity
market – is a key challenge. Prices
are set almost solely by the market
(or markets?). And prices shape
the behaviour of households and
businesses, as well as of investors.
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