EC energy chief welcomes EU-US energy cooperation

London (Platts)--28Mar2007

EU energy commissioner Andris Pieblags Tuesday welcomed increased
cooperation in the field of energy supply and security between the European
Union and United States and offered the US support in the field of energy
efficiency.
Speaking after a meeting in Washington with US energy secretary Samuel
Bodman, Piebalgs said he was pleased with progress made since an EU-US
declaration June 2006 to increase strategic energy cooperation, particularly
in research on biofuels development and energy efficiency. But Piebalgs said
new technologies were only "part of the picture."
"The efficient use of energy is also a key element and I believe that in
this sphere the EU has a lot to offer in terms of know-how and best practice",
Piebalgs said.
The EU energy chief was on a two-day visit to Washington where he is
meeting several high-ranking energy officials and a number of political
leaders. "Bilateral cooperation has been strengthened notably on biofuels,
clean coal and carbon sequestration, energy efficiency, methane recovery, and,
more generally, on energy security issues," in the past year, the European
Commission said in a statement.
A review of the progress made in these areas to date was to take place
during Piebalgs' stay in Washington and in the run-up to the next EU-US
Summit.