The sector priorities for Italy can be divided into short- and
long-term objectives.
In the short term, the primary issue is the high price of energy
(especially electric energy) which threatens the competitiveness
of European enterprises and those in Italy in particular, first
and foremost the so-called "energivores", that is, major
consumers of energy.
This situation leads to the delocalisation, if not sometimes the
closure, of major industrial operations with resulting serious
loss for the European and Italian production systems.
In the medium- and long term, the sector priorities for Italy
are:
1) assessment of the implementation and effectiveness of directives
and regulations on the opening of European electricity- and gas
markets;
2) supply security;
3) sustainable development;
4) external relations.
The European energy market.
The European energy market is a far-reaching objective which
dates back to the Lisbon process. The objective is to increase
the European Union's competitiveness in the global commercial
scenario. At the present time, Europe is at a disadvantage due
to the high cost of energy and to ever-increasing imports of energy
sources.
The issuing of directives and regulations on liberalisation of
the gas- and electricity markets has undoubtedly been the most
important event in Community policy in the energy sector during
the last 10 years and has been strongly supported by Italy.
In the future, the process of liberalisation must be monitored
so that it is implemented with conviction and uniformity in all
Member States.
The objective to strive for is therefore to render the reciprocity
of these markets more effective, with the Union working to ensure
that we have an effective and functioning single European market
and not 25 individual markets.
It will also be necessary to identify all of the actions, including
legislative actions such as specific regulations on gas stockpiling,
in order to improve and complete the liberalisation and integration
of the energy-sector market.
Supply security.
Italy considers it to be indispensable that the European Union
adopt a sufficiently articulated and co-ordinated policy (within
the European Union and with market players outside Europe) as
to ensure the necessary flow of energy in a context of growing
dependence on third countries. Italy has followed with the attention
and interest the evolution of all of the European initiatives
adopted to reinforce cross-border interconnections in both the
power sector and in the gas-transport sector.
In relationship to the question of the price of oil, due to its
considerable consequences on competitiveness and on the employment
levels in Europe, it is necessary to act at the Community level
on both the demand- and supply sides. In particular, it would
be appropriate to encourage:
a) complete integration of the Community's strategic oil stocks
and the stockpiling recommended by the International Energy Agency
(IEA);
b) immediate consideration of the possibility of setting up a
standard, bilateral contract in the European context for the reciprocal
creation of stockpiles in other European Union Member States;
c) an increase in the degree of fiscal harmonisation, which would
have positive effects on the market and on competitiveness;
d) strengthened dialogue between producing and consuming countries.
The question of maximising energy infrastructures and of implementing
actions to diversify energy sources and their provenance is essential
to supply security, to the market and to competitiveness. As far
as the maximising of existing infrastructures and incentives for
the development of new gas- and electricity sectors, some of the
key areas are the transport- and distribution networks, long-distance
power lines and interconnecting gas pipelines, new re-gasification
terminals and gas stockpiles.
With respect to sustainable development, Italy supports the integration
of environmental, social and competition-related policies with
energy policies.
We are in favour of an environmentally compatible use of resources
and of the development of renewable and innovative forms of energy.
We are particularly in favour of the European Union adopting a
harmonised system for the support of renewable energy. We believe
that this is the only way successfully to create a true and effective
market in electricity produced from these energy sources on a
sufficiently wide (European) basis so as to ensure an effective
takeoff.
We are also in favour of support instruments for renewable, market-oriented
forms of energy.
In addition, Italy supports the action taken by the Commission
with respect to increasing energy efficiency within the entire
European Union.
In the realm of international co-operation, Italy is watching
with special interest the Energy Charter and the dialogue with
Russia. It supports the opportunity for the further development
of relations with Moscow in order to promote energy supply and
increased investments within a more certain and transparent legal
framework. Italy hopes that Moscow will further align itself with
European positions in terms of transit and of investment guarantees,
which would prepare the groundwork for Russia's ratification,
awaited for many years, of the Energy Charter Treaty.
Strengthening of Euro-Mediterranean energy co-operation is for
Italy another priority objective which the European Union must
pursue in external relations. Meetings at various levels and Community
programs such as MEDA and REMEP may well be opportunities for
the development of closer relations which could in turn lead to
increasing commercial and investment flows and to making these
flows more legally transparent and secure.
Italy also considers Europe's relations with the Balkan countries
and with other regions on the international scene to be a priority
in order to promote the producer-consumer dialogue, the European
Union/OPEC dialogue, the work being done by the IEA and by the
other international bodies concerned.
