Publication

After looking at the progress the EU has recently made in turning itself into an Energy Union, this paper argues there are five preliminary conclusions we can draw from the endeavor. 1) the idea of energy security is once again part of the Energy Union discussion; 2) such a union would not necessarily become a geopolitical actor; 3) the legislative battles between the EU Commission and other EU institutions over the creation of such a union are only about to start; 4) the recent electoral successes of Eurosceptic and conservative parties at the national level could hinder the progress towards an Energy Union; and 5) the internal market for electricity and gas will remain the core of the EU’s energy policy, and thus will need more protections from the distorting effects of national regulation.