Russia and the European Union reviewed their energy relations during the 7th EU – Russia Permanent Partnership Council hosted by Cyprus ahead of the EU-Russia Summit to take place on 21 December in Brussels.
In statements following the Council, Cypriot Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism Neoklis Sylikiotis and meeting host, said the Council focused on issues concerning energy supply between the two sides, the important challenges to be addressed by the EU and Russia with regard to the modernization of the energy infrastructures and the strengthening of the cross-border connections for the transportation of energy products such as oil, natural gas and electricity.
"Since 2000, the energy dialogue between the EU and Russia, which continues to improve, constitutes an important opportunity for the two sides to deal with crucial energy issues in the medium and long-term horizon until the year 2050," he said.
Sylikiotis also recalled that the finalization of the regulation concerning the trans-European energy infrastructures under the Cypriot EU Presidency will significantly contribute towards this direction.
According to a joint press statement issued after the Council, Gunter Oettinger, the EU Commissioner for Energy, and Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak took note of the state of implementation of existing agreements and Memorandums of Understanding between both sides during 2012.
They welcomed the intensive work of the EU-Russia Gas Advisory Council created in 2011 to assess the development of EU and Russian gas markets and to provide independent recommendations for long-term EU-Russia gas cooperation, the statement notes.
Both sides discussed the changes in global and European gas markets and noted the role of long-term contracts and investments for ensuring energy security, predictability and transparency of supply.
Furthermore, Commissioner Oettinger and Minister Novak stressed the progress made in establishing a joint EU-Russia Energy Roadmap until 2050 and their interest to pursue the discussions on the outstanding issues with the aim of its finalisation.
Both sides agreed on a work plan of the EU-Russia Energy Dialogue in 2013. In addition to the regular work in the different Thematic Groups and the Gas Advisory Council, they agreed to put emphasis in 2013 on areas of common interest such as alternatives uses for gas and on further cooperation in the area of energy efficiency as contribution to the EU-Russia Partnership for Modernisation.
