Russia and energy security: The role of domestic competition for external energy policy

Date: 17.02.2010
Published on EGF: 17.02.2010

Few issues are as politically challenging and sensitive in Europe as the quest for stable and competitive markets for energy. Recent years have witnessed recurring problems over gas import from Russia in particular, and the European Union has launched various initiatives to establish better access to external sources of energy. None of the strategies seemed to have worked appropriately. Furthermore, international agreements offer few opportunities to “regulate” irate behavior on the part of exporters; Russia has recently withdrawn from its obligations in the Energy Charter Treaty, and the World Trade Organisation offers few disciplines on trade in energy.

In a recent paper, Fredrik Erixon argued that Europe needs to seek solutions to competitive and secure energy supply at home. More, not less, competition in the EU’s gas markets is required to reduce Europe’s vulnerability to gas supply cuts and other disturbances. In particular, the East-West divide within the EU in terms of competition policy must be overcome.

You are cordially invited to an afternoon seminar with Fredrik Erixon.

February 24^th, 2010, 5.00 pm

Room Goguel Bis - Sciences Po.


56 rue des Saints Peres, 5^th Floor

75007 Paris


Fredrik Erixon is the Director and co-Founder of the European Centre for International Political Economy (ECIPE), a think tank in Brussels. He has recently published three papers on Europe’s energy relations to Russia. He is an advisor to three governments in Europe in energy policy.