The role of Turkey as a “natural energy bridge” between supplier countries and big consumer energy markets was underlined in a 12 joint point declaration between the European Commission and the Turkish government earlier in the month.
The main pints of the declaration which emerged after a high-level conference on energy “Together for a European energy policy” attended by the Enlargement and Energy Commissioners, Olli Rehn and Andris Piebalgs and the Turkish negotiator on accession Ali Babacan, and the Head of Turkish diplomacy Abdullah Gol, are the follows
In the current context of sharp gas and oil price volatility, increasing energy demand and dependency affecting both the Union and Turkey, the two parties firstly point out the importance of diversification and investment to guarantee their energy security. Noting that it is geographically close to 70% of the world's oil and gas reserves, the two parties underlined that Turkey was a" natural energy bridge" between supplier countries and big consumer markets in the Union. The declaration points out that Turkey has a rapidly growing economy which will, "serve as an anchor the wider exploitation of the region's reserves, to the benefit of all". To this end, the two parties underlined reinforced strategic cooperation as a way of enhancing their security of energy supplies and Euro-Asian economic development.
As well as holding discussions on infrastructure projects that aim to accomplish diversification of supply (the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline and the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline and the Turkey-Greece-Italy inter-connection), Turkey and the Union highlighted the importance of the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline and their commitment to completing the Nabucco pipeline. Faced with the necessity of finding new supply sources for new pipelines, the parties explained that they would also be working together on strengthening their energy relations with key energy producers.
Concerned about the spectacular rise in the traffic of oil-based products by sea on the Turkish coast and the risks that this contains (to human health and the environment or interruptions to deliveries following a disaster at sea), the parties say that the solution can be found in alternative options that go around the coast, such as the Samsun-Ceyhan pipeline.
As well as oil-gas considers, the parties underlined the need to use clean and alternative energies such as clean coal and renewable energies and for countries that wanted to, nuclear energy. In this context, they are calling for strengthened cooperation in fields such as energy efficiency and alternative energies for attracting investment.
Reaffirming Turkey's strategic importance, in the middle of the Union accession negotiation process, the parties stressed that for the security of energy supplies of the EU27 there was a need to, "implement coherent policies with a views to ensuring secure access to the energy resources of the region and their safe arrival to the markets". In this context, they note that Turkey has already taken important measures by aligning its energy market on the Union's internal market rules. The declaration underlines that as well as Turkish accession to the energy community (10 members of South East Europe are already members: EUROPE 9309), it will be possible once all existing technical problems are resolved.
To enhance energy cooperation, the two sides set out a framework based on four points: 1) cooperation on geo-strategic challenges in their neighbourhoods such as the Black Sea, the Caspian, Central Asia, the Mediterranean and Middle East; 2) coordination of policies and practices related to energy markets, taking into account Community acquis, Turkish energy needs, discussions on the "energy" chapter for accession negotiations and Turkey's accession process to the energy Community; 3) technological cooperation based on greater participation of Turkey in areas of common interest such as renewables and hydro-electricity; 4) knowledge transfer on how to fund new infrastructure while respecting market conditions.