Written by Marcin Grajewski
The European Commission launched a blueprint on 25 February for an Energy Union that would ensure the free flow of gas and electricity across the European Union, diversify energy supply and move the bloc towards a low carbon economy in what is hoped to be a major shake-up aimed to create growth, job and enhance security.
Presenting its Energy Union Strategy, one of ten priority projects of President Jean-Claude Juncker, the Commission said it wanted to improve energy infrastructure to better share supplies and integrate renewables, end regulated pricing, increase the number of liquefied natural gas terminals and enforce existing law on competition. Energy efficiency in buildings and transport, as well as smart grids, should help keep energy demand from outpacing supplies. Research and innovation should make Europe a world leader in clean energy technologies. EU heads of state and government are due to discuss the energy union at their meeting on 19-20 March.
This note offers links to a selection of recent commentaries, studies and reports, authored by some of the major international think tanks and research institutes, which discuss the prospects for, and ways to create, a single energy market within the European Union.
Commentaries:

EU’s quest for energy security – What role for the Energy Union?
European Policy Centre (EPC), 3 March 2015
La sécurité énergétique européenne et les relations extérieures de l’Union et des pays membres
Institut Français des Relations Internationales (IFRI), March 2, 2015
To secure Europe’s energy, build a market and integrate Ukraine Atlantic Council, March 3, 2015
The Commission’s energy union ‘strategy’: A rebranded work programme
Centre for European Reform (CER), February 27, 2015
De la Communauté européenne de l’énergie à l’Union de l’énergie Notre Europe, February 25, 2015
Memo: A Washington view on Europe’s energy union German Marshall Fund, February 12, 2015
Europe’s energy security – is the Energy Union the answer? European Policy Centre (EPC), January 28, 2015
Energy Union: Can Europe learn from Japan’s joint gas purchasing?
Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), December 11, 2014
Should the EU have an Energy Union? Carnegie Europe, December 10, 2014
What should an energy union cover? Centre for European Reform (CER), November 27, 2014
Analyses and studies:
Energy, a networked Europe Robert Schuman Foundation, March 2, 2015
Revisiting energy security in turbulent times Egmont, Madariaga, IFRI, January 28, 2015
From the European Energy Community to the Energy Union – A new policy proposal
Notre Europe, January 27, 2015
Energy Union in focus: Five reasons why the end of South Stream should mark the beginning of Energy Union in the EU Martens Centre, December 16, 2014
#EnergyManifesto: A New Energy Policy for the New European Commission?
Jean-Michel Glachant, European University Institute (EUI), 2015
Making the most of Energy Union Centre for European Policy Studies, December 16, 2014
Elements of Europe’s energy union Bruegel, September 10, 2015
Bolstering European energy security German Marshall Fund, June 10, 2014
Related publications:
Russian gas stream or dream? Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), February 2, 2015
Russia, Ukraine, and U.S. policy options Center for Strategic and International Studies, January 29, 2015
Deep decarbonization in Germany: A macro-analysis of economic and political challenges of the ‘Energiewende’ DIW, January, 2015
The declared end of South Stream and why nobody seems to care
Centre for European Policy Studies, December 5, 2014
Energy Policies of IEA Countries: European Union 2014 Review
International Energy Agency (IEA), December 2014
EP publications:
Members’ Research Service, European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS), June 2014
EU energy governance for the future Policy Department A, January 2015
The cost of non-Europe in the Single Market for energy European Added Value Unit, EPRS, June 2013
The EU’s energy security made urgent by the Crimean crisis Policy Department, DG EXPO, 2014.
[…] research institutes, which discuss EU energy policies. More papers on the topic can be found in a previous edition of ‘What Think tanks are […]
[…] research institutes, which discuss EU energy policies. More papers on the topic can be found in a previous edition of ‘What Think tanks are […]