Energy production

The European Union's energy policies are driven by three main objectives:

• We want secure energy supplies to ensure the reliable provision of energy whenever and wherever it is needed
• We want to ensure that energy providers operate in a competitive environment that ensures affordable prices for homes, businesses, and industries
• We want our energy consumption to be sustainable, through the lowering of greenhouse gas emissions, pollution, and fossil fuel dependence.

These goals will help the EU to tackle its most significant energy challenges. Among these, our dependence on energy imports is a particularly pressing issue, with the EU currently importing over half its energy at a cost of €350 billion per year. Other important challenges include rising global demand and the scarcity of fuels like crude oil, which contribute to higher prices. In addition, the continued use of fossil fuels in Europe is a cause of global warming and pollution.

In addition to ensuring that the EU energy market functions efficiently, the energy policy promotes the interconnection of energy networks and energy efficiency. It deals with energy sources ranging from fossil fuels, through nuclear power, to renewables (solar, wind, biomass, geothermal, hydro-electric and tidal).

Article 194 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union introduces a specific legal basis for the field of energy based on shared competences between the EU and its member countries.