Hungary has made the necessary steps for the construction of the infrastructures ensuring bi-directional natural gas transport in the region. In addition, the country has not only attained but even surpassed the target set by the European Union according to which the electricity cross-border transmission capacity must reach at least 10% of the total built in electricity production in every EU state by 2020, Minister of State for Energy Affairs András Aradszki said at the session of the Energy Council in Brussels on 5 March, 2015.

At the meeting, representatives of Member States discussed the EU Framework Strategy for the Energy Union.

Minister of State for Energy Affairs András Aradszki emphasised in his address: the Energy Union can be established gradually, considering regional and country-specific characteristics. Infrastructure connecting the energy systems of Member States as well as resources is essential for the operation of the internal energy market and the implementation of the Energy Union. As the first step for the above, the North-South Energy Corridor and the bi-directional cross-border natural gas pipelines must be implemented, Mr Aradszki added. In addition, the construction of missing infrastructures must also be continued as projects of common interest (PCI), he said.

Infrastructure development reducing energy dependence and ensuring supply diversification cannot always be realised on a market basis, it is thus essential to involve EU subsidies as well as the cooperation of the European Commission, the Minister of State pointed out. The further development of the already implemented cooperation at the regional gas and electricity markets, which has proven to be viable coordination, may foster the implementation of the Energy Union targets.

It was at the session in June 2014 where the European Council had passed the strategic agenda an emphatic element of which was “The implementation of the Energy Union with a forward-looking climate change policy”. The implementation of the Energy Union is necessitated by the need to ensure affordable energy for the population and businesses and reinforce the energy security of Member States. The meeting in Brussels serves discussing the details of the major directions for action required for the implementation of the Energy Union and specifying the aspects of sustainability, competitiveness and supply security relevant for the Energy Union that must urgently be tackled.

(Ministry of National Development)