Geopolitics
US invests in energy and transport infrastructure in Central and Eastern Europe
Est. 4minThe US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) announced on Tuesday (16 July) its first investments into Central and Eastern European energy and transport infrastructure, as part of a wider €280 million funding commitment aimed at countering Russian and Chinese influence in the region.
EU climate dialogue with China affirms focus on climate finance goal past 2025
Est. 3minThe fifth EU-China high-level environment and climate dialogue, which took place in Brussels on 18 June, served to highlight Beijing's concerns in the face of clean-tech trade restrictions and emphasise that agreement on climate finance would be crucial to make COP29 in Baku a success.
Germany’s Uniper wins $14 billion arbitration ruling against Gazprom
Est. 4minGerman utility Uniper has won a multi-billion euro arbitration against former long-time supplier Gazprom, it said on Wednesday (12 June), allowing it to tear up dormant gas supply contracts and potentially setting a precedent for similar cases.
Industry and government leaders eye renewables as basis for Ukrainian reconstruction
Est. 4minPolitical decision-makers and business leaders met at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Berlin on 11-12 June, where they focused on renewable energy as a key solution to secure Kyiv's electricity supply.
Germany, Czech Republic seek EU talks on fully quitting Russian energy
Est. 3minGermany and the Czech Republic are pushing the European Union to hold talks on how to eliminate the remaining energy sources Europe imports from Russia, EU diplomats told Reuters on Tuesday (28 May).
EU backs sanctions on Russian propaganda outlets as part of next sanctions package
Est. 3minFour Russian state media outlets will be added to the European Union's blacklist, while other measures for the 14th sanctions package against Moscow are still in the early stages of discussion following a meeting of EU ambassadors on Wednesday (15 May).
Baltic states in ‘final phase of work’ to desynchronise electricity grids from Moscow
Est. 4minIn the context of the war in Ukraine, the three Baltic States want to accelerate the desynchronisation of their electricity grids from Russia and Belarus and complete it by February 2025 at the latest.
Russia aims to destroy Ukraine’s energy generation capacity
Est. 5minAfter a first campaign of attacks on transmission infrastructures in 2022-23, Russia has recently started focusing its airstrikes on electricity-generating thermal and hydropower plants, causing an electricity deficit that may take years to make up for.
EU to world: Don’t depend solely on China to hit renewable goals
Est. 3minThe world should ensure diverse supply chains and implement a framework to track the progress made towards tripling global renewable capacity by 2030, the EU's Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson said in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday (17 April).
![Enrico Letta's pending report is expected to identify the single energy market as "Europe’s best asset to ensure its success in a novel global order” [File photo]](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.euractiv.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/04/shutterstock_2372655591-800x450.jpg)
The Letta report: What’s in the box for Europe’s energy sector
Est. 4minFormer Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta is set to present his report on the future of Europe’s single market to EU leaders on Thursday 18 April. A deepening of Europe’s Energy Union is a key priority, along with several targeted recommendations on how to transform Europe’s energy sector.
Bulgaria using Turkish Stream pipeline as a geopolitical weapon, reveals Borissov
Est. 4minBulgaria has introduced the special gas tax on the transmission of Russian gas through Turkish Stream to punish Austria for its Schengen opposition, the leader of Bulgaria's largest party GERB Boyko Borissov announced on Wednesday (3 April).
Leaked documents reveal Kremlin control over Turkish Stream pipeline construction through Bulgaria
Est. 3minLeaked documents from the emails of Russian politicians show that the Kremlin, through Russian and Belarusian companies, had full control over the construction of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline through Bulgaria from 2019-2021, despite then-Prime Minister Boyko Borisov’s claims that the project was under the Bulgarian government’s control, Capital reported.
Bulgaria negotiates with Azerbaijan to boost gas supplies to Balkans, Ukraine
Est. 3minBulgaria has started negotiations with Azerbaijan to increase gas supplies to Romania, Moldova and Ukraine through the future vertical Balkan gas corridor, the Bulgarian parliament’s press centre announced on Monday.
Germany’s gas tariff puts EU energy solidarity at risk, energy commissioner says
Est. 2minGermany's levy on cross-border gas trading puts the EU's energy solidarity at risk and hurts efforts to cut the bloc's reliance on Russian gas, the bloc's energy commissioner and deputy Czech PM told reporters on Monday (4 March) following a meeting of EU energy ministers.
Danish police close Nord Stream investigation, no reason given
Est. 2minThe Danish investigation into the Nord Stream 1 and 2 explosions has been closed, the Danish authorities announced on Monday, less than a month after Sweden did the same, but gave no details as to why.
EU-Russia trade continues to slide as LNG, fertilisers curb Europe’s need for pipeline gas
Est. 4minTrade between the European Union and Russia kept sliding in the final quarter of 2023, as Brussels continues efforts to decouple itself from Moscow in the lead-up to the second anniversary of the full-scale war in Ukraine.
Cyprus could produce first natural gas as soon as 2026, minister says
Est. 3minCyprus could start producing its first natural gas as soon as 2026, and plans to participate in a high-powered electricity cable project linking the eastern Mediterranean to continental Europe, its energy minister told Reuters.
Austria’s dependence on Russian gas rises to 98%, two years after Ukraine war
Est. 5minAustria’s dependence on Russian gas has grown from 80% to 98% in two years, prompting the country’s energy minister to ring the alarm bell ahead of a national election in the Autumn.
Climate-change-driven migration seen as bigger threat than Russia – MSC report
Est. 5minRespondents fear climate-change-driven migration more than the security threat posed by Russia, according to a fresh survey for the Munich Security Conference (MSC) published on Monday (12 February).
Swedish Nord Stream investigation to end soon
Est. 3minThe Swedish criminal investigation into the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipeline sabotage in the autumn of 2022 will likely conclude shortly after the prosecutor in charge, Mats Ljungqvist, announced that a decision would be made on Wednesday.
EU-backed green certification scheme for raw materials launched, in world first
Est. 6minGermany’s TÜV Nord Group is launching the world’s "first and only comprehensive certification" scheme for critical raw materials along the entire value chain – from exploration to extraction and processing, up to the final product.
Security or prosperity: Must the EU decide?
Est. 7minAs the EU has presented its shiny new economic security package this week, it will now need to square the circle between security and prosperity.
Belgium unsure about using EU option to block Russian gas imports
Est. 2minIt is unclear if Belgium will use the option in an upcoming European Union law to block imports of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG), Belgium's energy minister said on Monday (22 January).
Ukraine, Moldova, Slovakia join ‘Vertical Corridor’ European gas transportation scheme
Est. 2minUkraine, Moldova and Slovakia on Friday (19 January) joined an initiative for a planned corridor to carry natural gas between Greece and countries to its north as Europe steps up efforts to diversify supply and boost energy security.