Lords Committee visits Brussels to discuss EU energy policy
22 January 2013
The Lords Agriculture, Fisheries, Environment and Energy EU Sub-Committee will continue its inquiry into how EU energy policy can create jobs and boost the economic recovery in Europe by holding a number of evidence sessions with senior EU figures in Brussels, on Wednesday 23 January.
The Committee will spend a full day talking to officials, experts and advisers to a number of organisations and EU institutions based in Brussels.
The Committee will be hearing from, among others, Dan Jorgensen, Vice-Chairman of the European Parliament’s Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) Committee; Graeme Steele, Chairman of National Grid, Philip Lowe, Director General, Directorate General Energy (ENER); and senior advisers to the European Commissioners for Energy and Climate Change.
Witnesses will be quizzed by the Committees on issues including:
- the likely timescale for publication of the EU’s Climate and Energy Framework up to 2030, including possible renewable energy targets, and how possible it will be to arrive at consensus among Member States on a future Framework;
- whether investment in energy can drive growth and jobs in the wider economy across Europe and the role the EU has to play in unlocking that investment;
- which policy tools, such as the EU Emissions Trading System, the EU should use to encourage low carbon investment in the energy sector;
- how barriers to interconnection of energy across Europe can be tackled;
- UK Government plans to pay companies to guarantee the UK’s energy supply; and
- the future development of shale gas in the European Union.
The transcripts of the evidence sessions will be published on the inquiry’s website approximately 10 days after the visit.