Co-operation in Energy Policies: European Union (EU) - Eastern Europe

Abstract

The revolutionary upheavals in Eastern Europe have made increased co-operation between Eastern and Western Europe possible (in the energy sector too). The conditions are particularly favourable and promising in the energy sector. Western Europe has a large requirement for imported energy (approximately 43 % covered by imports in the EU). Eastern Europe (and especially the Community of Independent States, CIS) has large energy reserves (natural gas, oil and coal). The security of supply to Western Europe could be improved in the long term by increasing the exchange of energy, i.e. energy exports from Eastern to Western Europe. The first precondition for this, however, is that it proves possible to establish political structures which are secure over a long period in the Eastern European countries. Increased exchange of energy between Eastern and Western Europe could also provide the financial resources necessary for restructuring the energy sector itself (energy saving, improvement of energy efficiency, encouragement of environmental protection) and for generally reconstructing the whole economic system. Western Europe could in this way make a contribution to economic stability in the Eastern European countries, at the same time securing and strongly reinforcing the democratisation process. In addition damage to the environment, which also affects Western Europe, could be reduced as a result. Finally, it is to be expected that increased co-operation in the energy sector between East and West will tend to have a marked stabilising influence on world energy markets.