The European Foreign Energy Efficiency Policy: Securing External Energy Supply in a Carbon-Constrained World

Abstract

Energy efficiency lies at the heart of the European strategy to create a sustainable, secure and competitive energy market (European Commission 2006a). It has long been considered a pillar of the internal European energy policy (European Commission 1987, 1991). More recently, the concern for improved energy efficiency has shifted from the realm of the European internal energy market to external energy relations. It became a cornerstone of the ‘new energy diplomacy’ of the European Union (EU) (European Parliament 2006a). The EU promotes energy savings in non-EU countries in order to limit global energy consumption and so guarantee the future availability of energy sources and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (European Commission 2008; European Council 2006; European Parliament 2007a). In addition to these political and geopolitical objectives of energy security and climate change mitigation, the EU foreign energy efficiency policy pursues economic aims. By promoting energy efficiency improvements abroad, the EU aims to open new markets for the European industry and so stimulate the competitiveness of the European economy (European Commission 2009c).