Competence of the European Union in the energy sector

Abstract

The present study explores the dynamics of European union’s competence in a very specific area of the economy, strongly dominated by national interests, which is energy. Energy policy has always been seen as a kind of paradox of the European integration process, insofar as two of the three founding treaties, signed in the 1950s, aimed an integration in energy sectors, but, even today, it is difficult to accept unequivocally, that the Union has an effective energy policy. There are several reasons for this. First, the initial lack of general competence of the European Community, today the EU, in relation to the energy sector did not allow the latter to build a comprehensive, coherent, and complete energy policy. This normative gap forces institutions to use other legal instruments to regulate public relations in this industry. A method which of course has its drawbacks and limits. The Lisbon revision of the founding treaties introduced a significant change in this respect, providing explicit competence of the Union in the field of energy, as well as providing it a specific article that would serve as a legal basis for the activities in the sector undertaken by the EU institutions. However, the analysis of this new regulation reveals that, despite the indisputable progress that has been made over the years, the European Union still cannot boast an effective energy policy and guarantee its energy independence. The leading role of the Member States on key energy issues remains. The envisaged primary legal framework reveals several weaknesses and gaps, key among which are the lack of explicit external competence and the subordination of energy policy in relation to other Union policies.

References:

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III.1. Reglamenti

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III.2. Direktivi

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III.3. Reshenia

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III.4. Atipichni aktove

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