Don't go it all alone : the EU and Russia must develop and advance their energy relations together – starting from the very beginning

摘要

"The EU cannot secure its energy supplies without Russia, while Russia is also dependent on the EU as its key market. Since this interdependency is going to continue in the foreseeable future, both sides should work together from the very beginning and stop developing projects alone. These are doomed to fail because at a later stage neither the EU nor Russia is able to get the other side on board. The Energy Charter Treaty, which the EU has been promoting for years to no avail, the latest Russian counter proposal for a ‘New Legal Framework’, or the modernisation agreement for the Ukrainian pipeline system are telling examples. Beyond this, more projects that bring tangible benefits to both the EU and Russia are lacking, for instance in the sector of energy efficiency. Especially Germany, as a forerunner in environmental technologies, canbenefit from such cooperation, since Russia is in dire need of energy saving and climate protection measures. The upcoming establishment of a Russian-German Energy Agency will send an important signal for further joint projects between the EU and Russia." (author's abstract)