Dods European Energy Policy Update

Welcome to your European Energy Policy Update provided by Dods EU Monitoring. This newsletter is produced on a monthly basis and will serve to keep you abreast of the top developments, events and announcements on energy policy at EU level. Divided into four sections you will find information covering activity of the European Commission, Council and Parliament as well as from non-institutional stakeholders.

Contents:

• European Commission activity

• Council activity

• European Parliament activity

• Stakeholder news

Main news

EC publishes evaluation reports on TEN-E and energy efficiency projects 
The Commission has published three reports, prepared by independent bodies, evaluating projects in the areas of energy infrastructure, energy efficiency and energy savings. 

EC publishes key guidance on the scope of verification for EU ETS

The European Commission’s DG CLIMA has published the a Key guidance note on the scope of verification in relation to the monitoring, reporting and verification of greenhouse gas emissions under the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS). Please find a list of associated documents here

Other Commission news

• EC report on the implementation of the European Energy Programme for Recovery (EEPR)
• Proposal for EC regulation to list auction platform to be appointed by UK
• New harmonised European standard for electricity metering equipment
• Call for proposals on obtaining grants for organising dialogues with citizens and launching information campaigns on shale gas
• Call for tender on study on equipment used by offshore oil and gas industry
• Call for tender on Mapping information tool for sustainable biomass resources for biofuel production 
• Updated oil stock position for May/June 2012
• EC roadmap on possible future eco-design requirements for power and distribution transformers
• Interim report on key findings and proposed actions for the international framework for nuclear energy cooperation

Please follow the links to access agendas, press releases and presentations where available.

• 19-20/09/12 - EU-China Mayors' Forum
• 11-12/10/12 - Fossil Fuels Forum - plenary meeting
  

• Council publishes organisation of work within the Council in the second semester of 2012 on the CEF
• Proposal for a Council Regulation on Union support for the nuclear decommissioning assistance programmes in Bulgaria, Lithuania and Slovakia
• Council decision issuing directives to the Commission for the negotiation of the review of the Convention on Nuclear Safety
  

Please follow the links to access agendas, press releases and presentations where available.

• Draft six month Council calendar
• 17/09/12 - Informal Meeting of Energy Ministers
• 09/10/12 - Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) – potential conclusions on Renewable Energy Strategy
• 13/11/12 - Economic and Financial Affairs Council – political agreement on Energy Taxation Directive
• 03/12/12 – Energy Council

Parliament takes initiative on role of Cohesion policy and its actors in implementing the new European energy policy

The European Parliament’s REGI committee has decided to produce a non-legislative report prompting the Commission to consider the role of EU Cohesion policy and its actors in the implementation of EU energy policy. Although the REGI committee, as well as the Polish EPP rapporteur, Lena Kolarska-Bobińska, have not yet commented on this upcoming report, the ITRE committee has already published its draft opinion. Please find here the Legislative observatory file.

Amendments published on Safety of offshore oil and gas prospection

Although discussions have ceased over the summer break, the parliament has published two sets of amendments from opinion giving committees. Please find here the ENVI amendments to its draft opinion, and JURI amendments to the draft opinion. The vote in the lead ITRE committee is set to take place on October 9^th 2012, and the plenary sitting is scheduled for December 11^th 2012 (subject to change). Please find here the Legislative observatory file.

EP delegation visits ACER offices

A European Parliament delegation visited the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) offices in Ljubljana, Slovenia, at the end of August. Some of the key issues addressed were the implementation of REMIT, the impact of the Energy Infrastructure Package on the work of ACER and the challenges related to the integration of renewable energy sources into the internal energy.

Other Parliament news

31 July – EPP group

Energy: international cooperation is key to newer, cleaner and more efficient global action. Romana Jordan MEP

7 August, ITRE committee

Amendments to draft report on accounting rules and action plans on greenhouse gas emissions and removals resulting from activities related to land use, land use change and forestry

14 August – EP Science and Technology Options Assessment (STOA)

Systemic Approach to Adaptation to Climate Change and Renewable Energy Harnessing (Biomass and Mini-Hydro)

20 August – ECON committee

Consultation on market manipulation: lessons and reform post LIBOR/EURIBOR

Please follow the links to access agendas, press releases and presentations where available.

• 03/09/12 – ITRE committee meets
• 06/09/12 – ENVI committee meets
• 17-18/09/12 – ITRE committee meets
• 19-20/09/12 – ENVI committee meets
• 24/09/12 – ITRE committee meets

ACER organises consultation & workshop on transparency in European gas markets

As the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) explains, transparency is a vital element for ensuring effective third party access and overall functioning of a competitive internal gas market. Regulation (EC) No 715/2009 includes a number of transparency requirements, going beyond those foreseen in the previous legislation. ACER is now examining the level of compliance of TSOs against these gas transparency requirements. In order to complete the public consultation process, ACER launched on 31 July a public consultation on Transparency in Gas Markets and is seeking stakeholder views on the TSO responses to the transparency questionnaire from the remaining countries, i.e. those which are not included in the North West and South gas Regions. A public workshop on Transparency in Gas Markets will be held in ACER premises in Ljubljana on September 13^th 2012, in order to allow TSOs, NRAs and other stakeholders to express their views and provide their feedback to ACER before the final results are presented in the 22nd Madrid Forum in October 2012. TSOs, NRAs and stakeholders from all Member States, including the North West and South regions, are welcome to participate.

31 July – EURELECTRIC

Response to ACER Recommendations to the Commission as regards the records of wholesale energy market transactions

31 July - Association of European Energy Exchanges (EUROPEX)

Response to ACER public consultation on Transaction Reporting under REMIT

14 August - International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

Nuclear Safety Review for 2012

14 August - nova-Institut

The next revolution: CO₂ plus renewable energy can serve as a feedstock for fuels, chemicals and plastics

Response to the ESMA consultation paper on OTC Derivatives, CCPs and EMIR

22 August – Entsog

Entsog launches a public consultation on its Annual Work Programme (AWP) 2013

22 August -Smart Energy Journal

UK Government to fight European Commission over VAT on Energy Efficiency Materials

23 August - Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE)

Country-by-country studies on energy efficiency and EPBD

Please follow the links to access agendas, press releases and presentations where available.

• 03/09/12 – ACER workshop on Network code for requirements for grid connection applicable to all generators, Ljubljana, Slovenia
• 04/09/12 - EGEC panel meeting on last FP7 call within the work program 2013
• 11/09/12 - ENTSOG 6th Transparency workshop
• 18/09/12 - The Parliament Magazine Cypriot Presidency reception
• 18/09/12 - Covenant of Mayors capaCITY conference, Malmo, Sweden
• 18-19/09/12 – IPIECA workshop on Biofuels sustainability standards and regulations
• 21/09/12 - EURELECTRIC DSO/EDSO Smart Grids conference, Frankfurt, Germany
• 24-28/09/12 - 27^th European Photovoltaic solar energy conference, Frankfurt, Germany
• 26/09/12 – Coalition for Energy Savings workshop on Energy efficiency directive  implementation challenges
• 02/10/12 - ZEP's 2012 General Assembly on CCS Demonstration and Deployment
• 03/10/12 – Workshop on EU islands towards a sustainable energy future
• 10-11/10/12 - RMG Helsinki Mining summit, Helsinki, Finland
• 11/10/12 – EPHA conference - European cities and regions fit for the future: Integrating heat pumps in local infrastructure
• 12-14/11/12 - IRES 2012 conference – 7th International conference on Storage for renewable energy, Berlin, Germany
• 15/10/12 – ENISA - EU-US open workshop on Cyber security of ICS and smart grids, Amsterdam Netherlands
• 31/10/12 – EURELECTRIC conference - Integrating EU and CIS power systems and markets - a way to increase security of supply?
• 20/11/12 - EURELECTRIC workshop - Business as usual? Nuclear energy after the stress tests
• 4-5/12/12 – EGEC - 4th annual GeoPower Europe, Budapest, Hungary