Communication: Achieving the 10% electricity interconnection target: making Europe’s electricity grid fit for 2020

During the last decades, the European Union has worked intensively towards building the most integrated, competitive and sustainable common energy market of the world. The integration of the EU's energy markets is delivering tangible results: wholesale electricity prices have declined by one-third; consumers have more choice as energy suppliers compete to deliver lower prices and better services; and the legal framework has improved competition in the sector.

Nonetheless, much remains to be done. Import dependency, outdated infrastructure and a lack of investment, a retail market which is not fully functioning, high final energy prices for citizens and for businesses harming the competitiveness of our companies, the need to shift to a low-carbon economy in order to fight climate change as well as challenges to our technological leadership lead to one conclusion: the EU must overcome its fragmentation of national energy markets. The European Union must change its ways to produce, transport and consume energy. Europe's energy policy must be reset in the right direction: that of an Energy Union. It is for these reasons that the European Commission adopted a framework strategy for a resilient Energy Union with a forward looking climate policy.

An interconnected European energy grid is vital for Europe's energy security, for more competition on the internal market resulting in more competitive prices as well as for better achieving the decarbonisation and climate policy targets which the European Union has committed to. An interconnected grid will help deliver the ultimate goal of the Energy Union, i.e. to ensure affordable, secure and sustainable energy, and also growth and jobs across the EU. There are missing interconnection links between several countries. Building these interconnections will require the mobilisation of all efforts at all levels, as a matter of urgency, to achieve the common objective of a fully functioning and connected internal energy market.

Energy infrastructure has been high on the European energy agenda. The European Council in October 2014 called for "speedy implementation of all the measures to meet the target of achieving interconnection of at least 10% of their installed electricity production capacity for all Member States." This Communication responds to that call and presents a strategy to ensure the full integration of the internal electricity market through adequate levels of interconnection, which will serve also an integral part of the Energy Union.

See also:
- Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions and the European Investment Bank - A framework strategy for a resilient Energy Union with a forward-looking climate change policy

ESO: Background information: Energy Union: secure, sustainable, competitive, affordable energy for every European http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-energy-union-secure-sustainable-competitive-affordable-energy-for-every-european/

---