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EU sees Turkey as central to Energy Union: Energy chief

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EU sees Turkey as central to Energy Union: Energy chief | Diplomacy | Worldbulletin News

EU Energy Commissioner says Turkey is central to energy supply security of European Energy Union


World Bulletin / News Desk



The EU should foster a new strategic energy alliance with Turkey as it will be at the center of EU's secure gas supply scheme in the future, according to EU Commissioner for the Climate Action and Energy on Friday.

Miguel Arias Canete was addressing the European Energy Union Conference in Riga, the capital city of Latvia, which currently holds the EU presidency.

The European Commission, EC, introduced the "Energy Union" on Feb. 4 which will be officially launched on Feb. 25. The union is high on the EU's political agenda since the Ukraine crisis shook the bloc's energy supply security with Russia. The country is the largest exporter to the bloc providing 22 percent of its imports.

In the EC's press release, it said that the EU imports 55 percent of its energy while 90 percent of the housing stock in Europe is energy inefficient. It further said that its energy infrastructure is ageing and the internal energy market is far from complete.

During his speech, Canete stated that bringing Turkey into the center of the EU's supply security plans is vital, along with Ukraine, and he added that the Southern Gas Corridor will help the EU decrease its reliance on Russia.

The Southern Gas Corridor is a scheme to carry natural gas from Azerbaijan on the east, near the Caspian Sea, passing through Turkish territory to go to Greece on the west, and further to Albania and then Italy to reach Europe.

Canete also said that enhancing relations with Norway, which sells 100 billion cubic meters of gas to the EU annually, is a key priority and added that forging a sustainable liquefied natural gas, LNG, strategy is a must.

According to Canete, customers in the EU should have the freedom to buy electricity from another country, if they find the prices cheaper.

"Competition, supply security and sustainability - all of these together forms the energy union triangle," said Canete, and added that the Energy Union is a commitment to fundamental and lasting change, solidarity as well as collective action when needed among the citizens and industries of the 28 member states.

The Vice-President of the European Commission, EC Maros Sefcovic introduced five dimensions of the Energy Union, and said they are parallel and mutually reinforcing processes.

The first dimension is "supply security based on solidarity and trust", said Sefcovic, and explained that relations with source countries such as Russia should be balanced.

He said the second dimension is "a competitive and completed internal energy market," which will reinforce fair prices, and where transparent long-term gas contracts will enhance an environment of fair treatment and ensure customer loyalty.

The third dimension is "moderation of energy demand," said Sefcovic, who added that if the EU increases energy efficiency by one percent, gas consumption will decrease by 2.6 percent.

The fourth dimension includes the decarbonization of the EU energy mix, said Sefcovic, stressing the EU's target of 40 percent carbon emissions reduction by 2030.

Sefcovic said "research and innovation" is the final dimension, and added, "We will move from 28 different energy policies into one good European one."

The conference is co-organized by the Latvian Presidency and the EC to create a brainstorming platform for the European Energy Union, ahead of the official launch on Feb. 25.
 
Turkey should use this to pressure EU for the full membership.
 
Turkey should use this to pressure EU for the full membership.

Visas requirements for Turkish citizens coming to the European Union are to be lifted by 2017 according to an agreement signed on December 16 in Ankara by EU and recently Turkey lifted Visa requirements for Polish nationals.
 
Visas requirements for Turkish citizens coming to the European Union are to be lifted by 2017 according to an agreement signed on December 16 in Ankara by EU and recently Turkey lifted Visa requirements for Polish nationals.

I dont think it makes a difference, theres been Turks everywhere in Europe for decades and most are decent enough although they seem to represent a huge amount of drug dealers.
 
I dont think it makes a difference, theres been Turks everywhere in Europe for decades and most are decent enough although they seem to represent a huge amount of drug dealers.

No Visa requirements means open borders and in that process only ,fencing is being done in Bulgaria. Turkey is one of the key player in NATO and even in EU.
 
I dont think it makes a difference, theres been Turks everywhere in Europe for decades and most are decent enough although they seem to represent a huge amount of drug dealers.
During London riots, they beat up black gangs. :D
 
I dont think it makes a difference, theres been Turks everywhere in Europe for decades and most are decent enough although they seem to represent a huge amount of drug dealers.
Those are the dealers of pkk's european organs, they are funding terrorism with this money.
 
Turkey’s exclusion from TTIP unacceptable, says EU Minister - Daily Sabah

urkey stands to lose roughly $5 billion per year in direct losses alone if it is not included in a final free trade agreement between the European Union and the United States, Minister for EU Affairs Volkan Bozkır said Thursday. Bozkır told a gathering at the German Marshall Fund in Washington that Turkey "cannot afford the damage that would be caused" to its economy, stemming not only from direct losses, but also from increased unemployment and other economic fallout.

The eighth round of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), negotiations are being held between Feb. 2 and Feb. 6 in Brussels with more than 200 negotiators representing the U.S. and EU as they attempt to broker a free trade agreement. If successful, the TTIP negotiators have the potential to integrate two of the world's largest economies.

Turkey has been a party to a customs union with the EU since 1995, allowing goods into its borders. But because Turkey is not a member of the EU, it is excluded from the talks. Turkish officials argue that future free trade agreements signed by the EU with other countries such as the U.S. would effectively open Turkey's market to exports from these states. But it would also effectively block Turkish exports from benefiting from tax advantages in those same states, should Ankara not be a party to the free trade deals negotiated by the EU.

Bozkır said negotiations should continue with an addition to the final TTIP agreement that it would include customs union members. "That's what we're trying to explain, but if it's not there then we can't afford it; so, we might have to think about some negative measures," Bozkır said, adding that Turkey is seeking to upgrade its customs union agreement with the EU to include agriculture, services and public procurement.

The increased economic ties could boost the trade volume between the neighbors to $300 billion from $150 billion, and could provide relief from any negative fallout from the U.S.-EU free trade agreement, Bozkır said. "If we can upgrade the customs union before the TTIP is finalized, then this article will be in place. So, you won't have any problems when signing the TTIP, but the problem is who will be faster? Turkey and the EU, or the EU and the U.S.?"

On Cyprus, the minister said that the continued partition of the divided island is a shame. "Turkey is ready to solve this problem. We will do whatever is necessary," he said. Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci had stated earlier that it would be impossible for Turkey to maintain a customs union agreement with the EU if it is isolated from the talks.
 
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