Energy union: energy mix should remain national competence

On 25th February 2015, the European Commission published the concept of the Energy Union – one of its landmark projects. Specific content is still in the process of creation and will be created on the go.

The main conclusions are: a) Framework Strategy for the Resilient Energy Union with a Forward-Looking Climate Change Policy, which consists of five interrelated policy dimensions and the detailed steps the Commission will take to achieve it, b) Interconnection Communication setting out the measures needed to achieve the target of 10% electricity interconnection by 2020 and c) Communication setting out a vision for the global climate agreement in Paris in December 2015. Czech businesses are persuaded that the energy mix and related responsibilities should strictly remain national competence and EU should not interfere in intergovernmental agreements of its Member States.

The representatives of Czech business and employers’ associations assume that the Energy Union should be based only on current energy and climate policies thus avoiding many new initiatives, and so they call for respecting of the decision adopted in accordance with 2030 energy and climate policy targets. Adoption of any further social policies cannot be at the expenses of other energy consumers. Fulfillment of the strategy will also depend on its effective governance and on compliance with the timetable set.