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May
30, 2008
The EU supports Trans European Network: transport networks, energy networks
and telecommunication networks. This page deals only with energy networks.
Read about transport networks at Friends of the Earth - www.foeeurope.org or
Transport & Environment.
| INDEX of this page: |
• Description
of Existing System (Read)
_ Major Amendments Introduced by the 2006 Decision
_ Environmental Guidelines
_ Financial Aspects
_ Next Steps
|
| • INFORSE-Europe
Opinion (Read) |
• Major
Axes for Priority Projects (Read)
_ Major Axes for Electricity Priority Projects
_ Major Axes for Gas Priority Projects
|
| • Background
(Read) |
Description
of Existing System
The
current guidelines and priority projects were decided in 2006 (Decision
No. 1364/2006/EC) and include 9 major axes for electricity
and 6 major axes for gas to support transport of gas, and electricity.
The support consists of defining the priority projects and more generally
establishing favourable conditions for development of these networks,
using existing EU and national grants and loans, fast approval procedures
etc. The new project presents three main objectives: sustainability, competitiveness
and security of supply.
Major
Amendments Introduced by the 2006 Decision
-
Revised
priorities including: opening up bottle-necks (especially trans-frontier
ones),
promoting the diversification of energy sources and
the use of renewable energy sources, ensuring interoperability
of the networks,
developing natural gas networks.
-
Relations
with 3rd countries should be strengthened in the energy sector to
reinforce
the energy security of supply.
-
When
applying for either Cohesion, Structural or trans-European network
funding, the Member States must
give priority to
projects of a "European
Interest". These projects of a “European
Interest” will
have the priority for the grant and the EU
Commission will ensure that they are implemented
rapidly.
-
Priority
project should fulfil sustainability criteria
to be considered as priority.
-
Introduction
of a "European Coordinator". This coordinator
works on European interest projects to
facilitate cooperation between all parties. He also ensures that
an adequate monitoring
is carried
out in order to keep the Community inform of progress.
This
decision repeals Council Decision 96/391/EC of 28 March 1996 and Decision
1229/2003/EC.
Read the Decision on the European Commission website: pdf
file (536kB)
Environmental Guidelines
The
evaluation of the economic viability of the projects shall be based
upon a cost benefit analysis which shall take account of all costs
and benefits. The analysis shall include costs and benefits in the
medium and/or long term, in connection with environmental aspects,
security of supply and the contribution to economic and social cohesion.
The
projects shall be compatible with sustainable development, have a significant
impact on the competitive operation of the internal market, and/or
strengthen security of supply in the Community.
(from the guidelines for Trans-European Energy Guidelines)
A Green Paper on the TEN-E will be launched by the end of 2008 to launch a
consultation on topics such as the development of the TEN-E, solidarity tool
and the inclusion of oil and CO2 infrastructure in the TEN-E.
Financial Aspects
Financial aspects are ruled by a Regulation of the European Parliament
and of the Council. (EC) No 680/2007. This Regulation defines the conditions,
methods and procedures for granting Community financial aid to projects
of common interest in the field of the trans-European transport and energy
networks under Article 155 of the Treaty establishing a European Community.
Read the Regulation on the European Law website
Next Steps
A Green Paper on the TEN-E will be launched by the end of 2008 to launch
a consultation on topics such as the development of the TEN-E, solidarity
tool and the inclusion of oil and CO2 infrastructure in the TEN-E.
INFORSE-Europe Opinion
The
aim of the networks should be sustainable development rather than increased
competition and a possible lower price.
Support of transnational energy transmission systems should only be given when
it clearly improves the opportunities for renewable energy, e.g. because large
resources
of renewable energy can only be used when a large group of consumers are connected.
The
transmission lines should be for intelligent use, e.g. combining areas with
different
renewable supply structures that complement each other, such as windpower
and hydropower. The construction of transmission lines between areas with similar,
fossil energy structures is waste of resources just for the idea of increased
competition. Such projects should be avoided.
The guidelines and the environmental assessments should ensure that there is
no promotion of projects that increase sale of electricity in the EU internal
market that is produced with lower environmental or safety standards than those
used in EU.
Natural gas transmission lines outside the EU countries should in general not
be supported as they tend to increase EU's dependence on imported fossil fuel.
In general transmission lines should be made as commercial projects without support
or guarantees from states of EU.
Major Axes for Priority
Projects
(Total
amount: 28 billion € )
Major Axes for Electricity Priority Projects:
-
France
- Belgium - Netherlands - Germany: electricity network reinforcement
in order to resolve congestion in electricity flow through
the Benelux States. (EL1)
-
Borders
of Italy with France, Austria, Slovenia and Switzerland: increasing
electricity interconnection
capacities. (EL2)
-
France
- Spain - Portugal: increasing electricity interconnection capacities
between these countries and for the
Iberian peninsula
and grid development
in island regions. (EL3)
-
Greece
- Balkan countries - UCTE System (Union for the co-ordination of
transmission of Electricity):
development
of electricity infrastructure
to connect Greece to the UCTE System and to enable
the development of the South-East European electricity market.
(EL4)
-
United
Kingdom - continental Europe and northern Europe: establishing/increasing
electricity interconnection
capacities
and possible integration of offshore
wind energy. (EL5)
-
Ireland
- United Kingdom: increasing electricity interconnection capacities
and possible integration
of offshore wind
energy. (EL6)
-
Denmark
- Germany - Baltic Ring (including Norway - Sweden - Finland -
Denmark - Germany - Poland
- Baltic States
- Russia): increasing electricity
interconnection capacities and possible integration
of
offshore wind energy. (EL7)
-
Germany
- Poland - Czech Republic - Slovakia - Austria - Hungary - Slovenia:
increasing
electricity
interconnection
capacities. (EL8)
-
Mediterranean
Member States - Mediterranean Electricity Ring: increasing electricity
interconnection
capacities
between Mediterranean Member
States and Morocco – Algeria - Tunisia
- Libya - Egypt - near eastern countries
- Turkey. (EL9)
Major
Axes for Gas Priority Projects:
-
United
Kingdom - northern continental Europe (including the Netherlands,
Belgium, Denmark, Sweden and Germany) - Poland - Lithuania - Latvia
-
Estonia - Finland - Russia: Gas pipelines to connect some of the
main sources of gas supply in Europe, improve network interoperability,
and
increase security of supply. (NG1)
-
Algeria
- Spain - Italy - France - northern continental Europe: construction
of new natural gas pipelines
from Algeria to Spain, France and Italy,
and increasing network capacities in and between Spain, France
and Italy. (NG2)
-
Caspian
Sea countries - Middle East - EU: new natural gas pipeline networks
to the European Union from new sources. (NG3)
-
Liquefied
natural gas (LNG) terminals in Belgium, France, Spain, Portugal,
Italy, Greece,
Cyprus and Poland: diversifying sources
of supply and
entry points, including the LNG terminals' connections with
the transmission grid. (NG4)
-
Underground
natural gas storage in Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Greece and
the Baltic Sea Region: increasing
capacity
in Spain,
France, Italy and the Baltic Sea Region and construction
of the first facilities
in Portugal, Greece, and Lithuania. (NG5)
-
Mediterranean
Member States - East Mediterranean Gas Ring: establishing and increasing
natural gas pipeline capacities
between the Mediterranean
Member States and Libya - Egypt - Jordan - Syria - Turkey.
(NG6)
Background
The
first guidelines for TEN-Energy were adopted in 1996, including the
list of projects of common interest (Council
Decision 96/391/EC of 28 March 1996).
The list has been then revised three times, in 1997, 1999 and 2003.
In December
10, 2003, the Commission proposed a new text to review the guidelines. (COM
2003 - 742)
After
more than two years of negotiations, the European Parliament adopted
the revision in second reading in plenary session on the 4 June
2006. The Council of the European Union confirmed the Parliament's
vote on 24 July 2006.
Read the press release on the European Commission website
Read
the Commission's
Description of the Trans-European Energy Networks
Return
to INFORSE-Europe EU Policy Page
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