Towards a European Energy Community: A policy proposal

The think tank Notre Europe published its report on the future of European energy policy in April 2010 entitled "Towards a European Energy Community : A policy proposal". Initiated by Jacques Delors, this report is the harvest of the work of the Task Force of high-level European experts established by Notre Europe to study the feasibility of a European Energy Community.

The report was elaborated by Marc van der Woude and Leigh Hancher as co-chairs and Sami Andoura as rapporteur. The report gives an overview and assessment of the policies developed at European level so far and examines whether the existing European energy policy is capable of pursuing its three key objectives of "affordable access to energy"; "sustainable development" of energy production, transport, and consumption; and "security-of-supply" in a consistent and credible manner.

Relying on the conclusions that the existing European energy policy is suboptimal, the report puts forward a policy proposal for a genuine "European Energy Community". It explains why and what type of action is required to develop such Energy Community, identifying both the substantial elements which it should ideally cover and the legal and institutional policy instruments at the EU's disposal for developing it. The report finally examines how this model could be best achieved and develops several recommendations to that effect.