Cyprus secures EUR 10 mln EU subsidy for energy issues

Security of energy supply and energy-saving measures were the main issues discussed during the EU Energy Council, at which Cyprus was represented by Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism Antonis Paschalidis.
The energy ministers also exchanged views on the low carbon emission technologies plan (SET-Plan), which is an important tool for achieving the objectives of climate change and energy, through the spread of new low carbon emission technologies.
Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs briefed the Ministers on the progress regarding the evaluation of applications submitted under the Rules of establishing a programme to enhance economic recovery.
In this context, Cyprus secured an EU subsidy of EUR10 mln, which will be used for studies and the construction of a network for supplying power stations with natural gas.
The official proceedings of the Council began with the issue of energy security. In this context, the Ministers of Energy expressed their view on the new proposal for a regulation concerning measures to safeguard natural gas supply, to better prepare the member states and the Community to address a possible future disruption of gas supply.
Speaking during the meeting, Paschalidis thanked the Swedish Presidency and the European Commission for their efforts towards an early agreement on the proposed regulation and stressed that energy security is a priority for Cyprus, particularly because of its geographical position that isolates the country from the trans-European energy networks. He stressed that the new regulation must respect the principle of proportionality and subsidiarity, so that member states continue to be responsible for the security of supply while maintaining flexibility in the means that they will implement.
As regards the application of the rule for the supply, he said there mustn’t be a mandatory basis for member states which don't have a gas distribution network. Paschalidis also underlined Cyprus’ request to be given the right to deviate from all provisions of the proposed Regulation until the establishment of an internal gas market.
The Council approved a compromise proposal to revise the Directive on energy performance of buildings, the directive on energy labeling of energy-related products and the Regulation on the marking of tires to save fuel and other essential parameters.
Ministers were briefed by the Commissioner for Energy on the latest developments in international energy relations and especially about relations between Russia and Ukraine in the field of gas.
Meanwhile the Energy Ministers decided during a working dinner held on Sunday in Brussels, that Slovenia will be the set of the newly established Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators. The Agency will deal with issues of cross-border connections and exchanges of electricity and natural gas.