Representatives of the Visegrád Countries adopted two joint statements at their meeting held on the occasion of the Energy Council meeting in Brussels on 12 December 2013. The parties reinforced their support for the objectives, fields of activity and organisational structure of the V4 Gas Forum. According to the V4 Joint Statement on Energy, the signatories advocate the complementary use of all low carbon-dioxide emission technologies.

The V4 Gas Forum set up with the aim to facilitate natural gas market integration provides a framework for the coordination of the transposition of network codes and guidelines and supports infrastructure development as well. In their memorandum of understanding, the member states committed themselves to share experience for the soonest possible implementation of the single market. Members of the Forum comprise ministries of Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia responsible for energy affairs, system operators and representatives of regulatory bodies. The operation of the Forum is assisted by the Governing Council comprising the competent ministries. The body is to adopt its first Work Plan by March.

In line with the conclusions of the Visegrád Prime Ministers’ Summit, the V4 Joint Statement on Energy underlines that enhancing energy security and widening the number of resources are of decisive importance for import dependent countries. The V4 countries therefore support the use of nuclear energy free of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as well as the exploitation of non-conventional carbohydrates (e.g. shale gas). Signatory countries reserve the right to determine their own energy mix according to their national characteristics and environmental considerations.

At the session of the Energy Council, the senior representatives of the competent ministries discussed a draft amendment to the directive urging the use of novel biofuels causing no indirect land use change. In line with an earlier commitment, member states must ensure that at least ten percent of the ultimate energy consumption of the transport sector should come from renewable energy sources by 2020.

Minister of State for Energy Affairs Pál Kovács underlined that the restriction of the use of first generation biofuels to 7 percent was unacceptable for Hungary. The decision would make the production of sustainable biofuels from extra produce unfeasible and would lead to the failure of several employment creating investments. Member states endorsed a council report on the progress of the completion of the EU internal energy market and on the developments in the field of foreign energy relations.

(Pál Kovács, Archive photo)

(Ministry of National Development, Communications Department)