The EU – Russian Energy Relationship

With energy becoming an increasingly salient issue within the European Union and abroad, the EU Regional Office of the Heinrich Böll Foundation is pleased to introduce a series of ‘Böll Lunch Lectures’ on the theme of European energy security.

This year’s final event in this Böll series on energy security will deal with the much-publicised EU-Russian energy relationship. The recent gas disputes between the Russian Federation and several of its neighbours, as well as the increasing global importance of energy- and climate-security, have undoubtedly raised concerns inside the European Union regarding its import dependency on Russia as well as Gazprom’s role in the EU domestic energy market. These apprehensions have lead to calls for greater diversification on one hand, and the so-called ‘Gazprom/reciprocity clause’, which limits third-country access to the EU’s energy infrastructure on the other. In the context of the highly politicised EU-Russia relationship, which seems to be deadlocked over Polish meat and other issues, how can both actors come to a mutually satisfactory solution regarding their energy relations? How would fair and sustainable ‘reciprocity’ in the energy sector look like? What domestic policies affect the interdependent relationship? And, do both parties see eye to eye when it comes to the issue of climate change?

Speakers:
- Laurent Muschel, Head of Unit ‘International Relations & Enlargement’, DG Energy and Transport, European Commission
- Petr Plikhin, Counsellor on Energy Affairs, Russian Mission to the EU

Discussant:
Coby van der Linde, Director, Clingendael International Energy Programme (TBC)

Chair:
Claude Weinber, Director, EU Regional Office of the Heinrich Böll Foundation