Commission proposes new projects for trans-European energy networks
The European Commission has proposed a number of additional links to be added to the list of projects of common interest in the trans-European energy networks. The Council and European Parliament adopted Decision 1254/96/EC laying down guidelines for the trans-European energy networks on 5 June 1996, some two years after the original proposal was launched by the Commission. The new links proposed by the Commission stem from the time elapsed since that original proposal was formulated. In particular, the accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden to the EU, developments in energy markets, mainly natural gas, and the growing trend towards extending interconnected networks mean that the list of projects needs to be updated. The Commission's list contains 31 additional projects, of which 16 are for electricity networks and 15 for gas networks. These projects are spread across the EU as well as Central and Eastern European countries, and respond to the various priorities of the trans-European energy networks: - Connection of isolated networks to European interconnected networks; - Development of interconnections between Member States; - Development of internal connections necessary to make best use of interconnections between Member States; - Development of interconnections with third countries in Europe and the Mediterranean; - Introduction of natural gas into new regions; - Increasing reception, storage and transmission capacities necessary to meet demand for natural gas. The new list of projects will be added to the list in the guidelines after the European Parliament and Council have reached agreement on the additions. It may be, therefore, that the list proposed by the Commission is modified during this procedure.