Nordic Region prepares for closer European co-operation on energy

10.11.15 | News
Communiqué from a meeting of the Nordic ministers for energy in Copenhagen on 10 November 2015: On this the 100th anniversary of the first electricity connection between Sweden and Denmark, the Nordic ministers for energy have set their sights on Europe and discussed the integration of Nordic energy co-operation with the EU Energy Union, which focuses on matters such as the role of regional co-operation in Europe.

Nordic co-operation must continue to be based on trust and solidarity, and on the fight for eco-friendly green growth, competitiveness and security of supply.  This is an area where the Nordic countries are experts and can raise their profile in the global context. It is also an important area for Nordic business.

At the meeting, the ministers stated that the harmonisation and strengthening of the Nordic electricity market must continue so as to enable increasing volumes of renewable energy to be handled by the electricity network. They also stated that an efficient, market-based Nordic electricity market can contribute to the harmonisation of the European market. In light of European developments, the ministers stress the importance of system operators (TSOs) having Nordic network and system development plans in place by 2017, and of the Nordic regulators preparing an action plan for dealing with the power problem by 2016. 

The ministers warmly welcomed discussions with the Vice-President of the European Commission, Maroš Šefčovič, who reported on the progress of implementing the Energy Union and welcomed the recognition of the need for a strong Nordic voice and Nordic experiences as part of regional co-operation in Europe. 

The co-operation of Nordic authorities on market supervision of energy-related products, Nordsyn, is another good example that Europe can learn from. It offers better value for money and better control of what is available on the market than the countries can provide individually. The ministers, who supported the continuation of Nordsyn in the coming years, said it benefits businesses, consumers, and energy and climate targets.

In addition, the ministers are pleased with Faroese efforts to incorporate green solutions into an off-grid system that has recently won the Nordic Council Nature and Environment Prize. Such experiences are also needed elsewhere in the world.  

The ministers welcomed the important contributions being made by Nordic Energy Research towards finding new clean-energy technology solutions, as well as towards identifying and considerably raising the profile of the strengths of the Nordic Region. An example of how this is taking place is COP 21, which analyses and communicates the Nordic Region’s results in integrating electricity markets. This provides scope for more renewable energy in the electricity networks and puts the Region 25 years ahead of the rest of the world in terms of CO2 intensity in electricity production.

The Nordic Region will renew the content of its energy co-operation in the next few years. The ministers believe that the time is right for beginning a strategic screening of Nordic energy co-operation. This screening will ready voluntary Nordic co-operation for a new phase of deeper European integration.

A respected investigator with professional insight must be appointed as soon as possible and be tasked with developing proposals for concrete areas where co-operation would be beneficial in light of the EU’s binding energy co-operation, the Energy Union and new regional partnerships in Europe. The ministers are looking forward to discussing the investigator’s preliminary proposals at next year’s ministerial meeting in Helsinki. 

Further information

Representative for the Danish presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers: Minister for Climate, Energy and Building, Lars Chr. Lilleholt, represented by Jane Glinvad Kristensen, office manager for the Danish Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Climate, tel. +45 41 28 46 76 or e-mail jgk@ens.dk 

Representative for the Nordic Council of Ministers: Dagfinn Høybråten represented by Annika Rosing, tel. +45 21 71 71 14 or e-mail anro@norden.org.