Verklaring Commissaris Oettinger (Energie) over resultaat op energiegebied van Europese Top (en)

Today's meting of EU heads of State and Government is a breakthrough for European energy policy.

For the very first time, we have set ourselves a clear deadline for completing the common energy market. By 2014, power and gas should be transported as easily throughout Europe as goods and services. Nothing will help us more to ensure security of supply in energy resources and affordable prices for consumers and industry alike than a real European marketplace in energy.

I am particularly pleased that Heads of State and Government have today clearly supported the idea that some critical energy infrastructure needs to be deployed swiftly and that simplification of permitting and some public financial support will be particularly instrumental to that effect. They asked the Commission to come forward by June with a list of European priority projects and the financial support needed.

The European Council took also another groundbreaking decision: In future, Europe will shift up a gear in international energy relations. The European Council's decisions provide essential momentum to ensuring a strong European representation of our energy interests in future relations with our partners on the continent and beyond.

This Summit will be our benchmark for the years to come.