With individual EU member states increasingly anxious about energy security, what course should EU energy policy be taking?
There are three points that need to be addressed. First, security of energy supply requires us to have a co-ordinated energy policy. Member states should agree common lines when formulating their energy policy strategies, so far as that is possible. Second, global energy companies have to be competitive. That means that the energy market in Europe should be opened so European energy companies that want to merge can do so to become more globally competitive. That links up to the first point. The more competitive the EU’s own energy sector is, the greater our security of supply. Third, we need to reduce energy consumption. We cannot let energy dependence increase further by not saving energy. Islam: Is Europe at risk of a clash of civilisations? Absolutely not. Europe is strong enough to allow people with different ways of life, different religions and different cultures to live together in an ordered society, provided everyone agrees to abide by basic rules. The basic rules are respect
