“The North Seas as the future energy pool of Europe”

Members of Parliament from all over Europe meet on 21 and 22 June 2013 in Dublin Castle for the 13^th Inter-Parliamentary Meeting on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency to demand leadership and more European cooperation on offshore wind and launch a Parliamentary Platform as a political support to the governmental North Seas Countries Offshore Grid Initiative (NSCOGI).

Members of European, national and regional parliaments as well as city councils from more than 17 EU Member States and neighbouring countries attended the EUFORES 13^th Inter-Parliamentary Meeting on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency. The abundant energy potential of the North Seas region was the main focus of the discussions. Onshore and offshore wind, grids and infrastructure, harbours, ships and the supply chain, financing and legal implications have been discussed. 10 European countries started the so called North Seas Countries Offshore Grid Initiative (NSCOGI). It aims at improving the cooperation of the countries in the region to develop the future energy system.

Claude Turmes, Member of European Parliament and President of EUFORES, underlined: "The North Seas bear an endless potential of renewable energy sources. The 10 countries involved in the joint governmental North Seas Countries Offshore Grid Initiative need to intensity their efforts together with the European institutions to make this lighthouse project happen in practice. The economic crisis should not weaken this promising cooperation. If Member States join forces, the North Seas can indeed become the future energy pool of Europe."

Intense exchanges between the parliamentarians and experts from the European Commission, governments, scientists and industry representatives took place and brought more light into the complex debate on the North Seas.

Senator Cáit Keane, parliamentary host of IPM13, said: "I am very honoured to welcome my parliamentary colleagues from all over Europe in Dublin Castle for this year's Inter-Parliamentary Meeting. It is indeed crucial in these days to discuss and shape the energy future of Europe. Renewables are key in this challenge and the North Seas can be a leading example for European cooperation and interconnection – we need to get closer!"

This was also confirmed by Fiona Hall, Member of European Parliament and EUFORES Vice-President: "In order to reach the 2020 targets for renewable energy in the European Union, we need strong commitment and leadership by political institutions on all levels. We need to deliver the security and confidence that investors are looking for in order to lay the grounds for this huge endeavour: nothing less than the transition to a truly sustainable EU energy system based on renewables and energy efficiency. The North Seas can play a key role if we grasp what they offer to us - but we need to make this a joint European project."

During IPM13, Members of Parliament established a new NSCOGI Parliamentary Platform as a new political support to NSCOGI, which will be organised by EUFORES as the European parliamentary network on renewables and energy efficiency.

Background: 13^th EUFORES Inter-Parliamentary Meeting on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (IPM13)

EUFORES organised its annual Inter-Parliamentary Meeting on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency this year in Dublin Castle in cooperation with the Irish Parliament and the Irish EU Council Presidency. The latest situation of renewable energy and energy efficiency was discussed, whilst a strong focus lied this time on the potential of the North Seas and the needs how to harvest their energy in the future. Members of Parliament discussed the North Seas Countries Offshore Grid Initiative (NSCOGI), which was started by 10 countries neighbouring the North Seas. IPM13 was the occasion to kick-start a parliamentary platform related to NSCOGI as an additional support and political input to speed up the development of the North Seas energy systems.