January 20, 2016, BRUEGEL
How can Europe ensure a secure supply of natural gas, so vital for its citizens' wellbeing and prosperity? As they launch a new paper on the topic, our scholars discuss the issue with high-level experts.
VIDEO RECORDING (1.5 hours)
Energy security is crucial to ensure that Europeans do not freeze in winter, that their industry can flourish and that they cannot be blackmailed in vital foreign policy questions. Gas plays a special role. Last year, Europe’s near-total dependence on Russian gas (and Ukrainian gas transit) triggered the debate on EU Energy Union. This became one of the flagship projects of the Junker Commission.
This event marks the launch of Bruegel’s latest policy proposal in the field of energy and climate. The authors, Simone Tagliapietra and Georg Zachmann, argue that the current focus on supply diversification and reduction of import dependence is expensive and insufficient to provide a systemic response. Instead of doing everything to reduce gas supplies from key suppliers, the proposal suggests that gas supply security could more effectively be safeguarded by ensuring that unused alternatives are maintained. These could be tapped into for an indefinite period of time in case of supply disruption from a key supplier.
The proposal will be discussed with Stefan Moser from the European Commission, and key representatives of the energy industry, including Thierry Deschuyteneer from Gas Infrastructure Europe.
Registrations for this event have now closed since the event is full. The event will be livestreamed on this page starting at 12.30. It is not necessary to register for the live stream.
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