EU Leaders Move to Secure Energy Imports

EU leaders on Friday endorsed plans to secure Europe's energy imports.  This will require creating new supply routes and signing energy treaties with producers such as Russia.  EU nations do not have a common energy policy, seeing energy as an issue of national sovereignty, but now aim to adopt an EU-wide energy policy in spring 2007.

Europe's growing dependence on imported oil and natural gas came into the spotlight this year as oil prices surged and Russia temporarily shut off the EU gas supply on New Year's Day in a dispute with neighboring Ukraine.  The region is facing higher energy costs partly because of rising demand from China, India and Brazil for massive amounts of energy for their fast-growing economies.  "There is a continuing need for the EU to respond to the worldwide competition for access to increasingly scarce sources of energy," the heads of state said in a final statement at the end of two days in talks in Brussels.

They told the European Commission and the EU's foreign policy chief to talk to energy suppliers and countries through which oil and gas are transported to Europe and "give full support" to infrastructure projects that could open up new supply routes.  Strengthening relations with Russia which supplies 25% of the EU's gas is a "win-win" game, the commission has said.  The EU is pushing Russia to sign a transit agreement that would set up a formal mediation process for resolving future disputes over gas transport and ratify the Energy Charter that would give foreign investors access to its sizable energy sector.  It also wants Moscow to show it is committed to market rules in oil and gas pricing and distribution.  The EU argues that improved relations would make it easier for Europeans to provide the major investment Russia needs to meet future demand.  EU leaders said Europe should aim to get all the countries that have signed the Energy Charter to adopt it into law.