Günther H. Oettinger, Vice-President of the European Commission
responsible for energy, andKonrad Mizzi, Minister for Energy and Health
of the Government of Malta made a joint statement on thesecurity of gas
supply and the role of gas developments in the Mediterranean region.
On 11 July, Energy Ministers from the EU, North Africa and the East
Mediterranean, high officials, industry representatives and key stakeholders in
the energy sector met in Malta to exchange views on how gas-related
developments in the Mediterranean region can enhance security of supply in
Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.
The two European officials said that the discussionstakes place at
a critical time when the wider geopolitical events could have implications on
energy security.
"In reaction to this, and in line with the European Council
conclusions of March 2014, the European Union is putting further impetus on its
supply diversification objectives. North African and Eastern Mediterranean
countries are also looking to develop their economies and meet increasing
domestic energy demand.
The Participants agreed that secure, sustainable and affordable energy
is a priority for all, and is a key factor for underpinning stability and
prosperity in the region. They underlined the importance of regional
cooperation to strengthen security of supply but also to favour regional trade
at the interest of both gas producers and consumers in the EU, North Africa and
the Middle East.
The Participants underlined their general willingness to further
strengthen regional energy cooperation and to support the progressive
development of joint actions such as infrastructure plans, in order to support
solutions that provide best alternatives with the objective of reinforcing the
energy market in the Mediterranean region. This will provide real trade
opportunities for producing North African and East-Mediterranean countries and
consuming countries in the wider Mediterranean region and the EU.
In doing so the importance of a stable
and predictable political, legal and regulatory framework was stressed, as was
the importance of promoting an attractive investment environment for local and
third party investors.
In order to progress on these issues,
the Ministers agreed in principle to establish a'Euro-Mediterranean
Platform on Gas’that would bring together policy makers, industrial
representatives, regulators and energy stakeholders. This Platform will assist
in the development of Euro-Mediterranean relations on gas issues. Its aim will
be in particular to ensure greater convergence between the policies of the
various countries, address upstream production challenges, promote third party
upstream investments, improve the conditions for imports of oil and gas from
producing countries, develop the necessary infrastructure of common interest,
promote technology cooperation, examine gas pricing mechanisms, facilitate
market access, cooperate on the domain of safety and security and work together
on the promotion of regional energy security.
The Euro-Med gas platform would
contribute to the ongoing efforts aimed at enhancing Europe's energy security
and at meeting specific 2030 interconnection objectives.
The scope of work and the operating
rules of the 'Euro-Mediterranean Platform on Gas’, could be developed with the
support of the "Observatoire Méditerranéen de l'Énergie" (OME).
The further elaboration on
themodus operandiof the platform will be discussed in the coming
months with a view to establishing a fully-fledged proposal to be endorsed at
the High Level Conference on "Euro-Mediterranean Energy Partnership"
which will take place in Rome on 19 November 2014.
Participants discussed the possibility
of this platform playing a key role in the creation of a Mediterranean Gas Hub
in line with the European Energy Security Strategy (EESS)."
http://www.neurope.eu/article/security-gas-supply-role-gas-developments-mediterranean-region