---

EU: Energy Council

In advance of the forthcoming Energy Council in Brussels on 7 December, I am writing to you to outline the agenda items which will be discussed. I will represent the UK. The first item on the agenda is an update on the energy efficiency package (made up of a Directive on the energy performance of buildings; a Directive on the indication by labelling and standard product information of the consumption of energy and other resources by energy related products; and a Directive on the labelling of tyres with respect to fuel efficiency). We expect the Presidency to provide information on progress. The UK supports the ambition of the individual elements of the Energy Efficiency package and is happy with the progress made so far. The Commission will then report on progress on the proposal for a Regulation on the security of gas supply. The progress report will be followed by a policy debate, which will be centred around questions provided by the Presidency. Whilst many Member States are likely to broadly welcome the intention of the draft legislation, which is designed to improve the ability of the EU to withstand a gas security of supply emergency, the UK and others have serious concerns over the extension and open-ended nature of powers that the legislation envisages for the Commission. This is in relation to both national emergency planning and in dealing with an EU emergency. The Commission will also provide information on the state of play on the Economic Recovery Package for Energy; this may be followed by an exchange of views by Ministers. The UK is pleased to see that the Commission is pressing ahead with implementation of the Economic Recovery Package, which we consider a means of stimulating jobs and growth in the short term, improving energy security and laying the foundations for a low-carbon future. The Commission will report on progress on the Proposal for a Council Regulation on the notification of investment projects in energy infrastructure within the European Community, followed by a discussion. Other Member States are likely to share the UK’s concern that any additional reporting burden on governments and industry is fully justified. This will be followed by a presentation from the Commission and an exchange of views on the Commission’s recent Communication on investing in the development of low-carbon technologies (SET-Plan). The UK supports the objectives of the EU’s Strategic Energy Technology Plan but has concerns over the financing estimates and expectations outlined in the Commission’s Communication on financing. Finally, the Commission and the Presidency will provide reports on a number of items on international relations in the field of energy including relations between Ukraine and Russia, the Energy Community Treaty, and the EU-US Energy Council. Discussions of Russia-Ukraine relations are expected to continue over lunch. Under Any Other Business, the Commission will report on progress in implementing the Baltic Energy Market Interconnection Plan. The Swedish Presidency has organised a dinner for Ministers the night before the Council, where a decision on the location of Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) is to be taken.