The Union of the European Electricity Industry, Eurelectric – which represents energy sector participants in 32 countries – has published proposals for a future energy and climate partnership between the UK and the EU after Brexit.
Ahead of the June EU Summit, Eurelectric calls upon policymakers to minimise any possible disruption resulting from Brexit on the energy and climate agenda.
Secretary General Kristian Ruby summed up the main theme: “Every effort should be made to minimise disruption of these objectives which must form part of an energy and climate chapter governing the EU-UK future relationship”.
This is the main message resulting from Eurelectric’s analysis paper “Brexit: EU-UK future energy and climate relationship”.
In this paper, the EU electricity industry sets out its position on what the future framework agreement between the EU and the UK on energy and climate change should contain.
Ruby added: “In view of the importance of energy for the EU and the UK in powering their economies and societies, Eurelectric urges policymakers to pursue the close collaboration between the EU and UK on the energy and climate agendas.
“The post-Brexit collaboration must continue supporting wholesale energy market integration, cross-border interconnection and efficient energy trading arrangements.
“Every effort should be made to minimise disruption of these objectives which must form part of an energy and climate chapter governing the EU-UK future relationship.”
Eurelectric said that whatever form the future agreement between the EU and the UK will take, it must include a full and comprehensive energy and climate chapter, with focus on the following areas:
- The Internal Electricity Market (IEM); including the trading and transmission framework created via the Network codes and Guidelines
- The Single Electricity Market (SEM)
- The EU energy and climate frameworks
- The Industrial Emission Directive (IED)
- The EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS)
- The nuclear energy sector and
- The financial regulations that to an extent also frame energy commodity trading.
Energy UK welcomed the Eurelectric report, which supports and echoes many conclusions to Energy UK’s own report on “Brexit and future EU-UK energy relationship” published earlier this year.
In particular, Eurelectric stresses that any future EU-UK relationship should seek to maintain a close trade relationship through regulatory alignment with the Internal Energy Market, maintain the Single Energy Market on the Island of Ireland and work closely together with the EU to tackle climate change.
Eurelectric also highlights the significant benefits to the EU from the efficient trade of gas and electricity, which can maintain security of supply while keeping costs down for UK and EU consumers and businesses and allowing Europe as a whole to deliver our climate change targets.
Lawrence Slade, chief executive of Energy UK, said: “This is an important message from the other European countries underlying the benefits of mutual cooperation and regulatory alignment post Brexit, that we have long highlighted.
“It also supports our calls for a comprehensive energy and climate chapter in a future trade agreement, based on ongoing participation in the Internal Energy Market, which is essential to keep costs down for UK customers and businesses, enhance security of supply in the UK and in Europe and to meet our shared climate targets.”
See also:
OFFICIAL: Brexit to cost Scots £1,600 per head but Scot-Govt and Scottish Renewables refuse to comment on Renewables After Brexit
21 Jun 2018
Pixie Energy is an incubator and a facilitator of strategic research and project work, focusing on energy regulation, policy and markets at the local and national level. Find out more about Pixie Energy