EUROPEAN INITIATIVE FOR ENERGY SECURITY LAUNCHES EFFORT TO STRENGTHEN GLOBAL, ALLIED ENERGY AND INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY CHAINS

BRUSSELS, Dec. 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A new organization driving realistic solutions to secure Europe's energy supplies while supporting the energy transition, strategic autonomy, and prosperity across the continent, the European Initiative for Energy Security (EIES), launched Thursday with a panel of leading voices, including European Commission Executive Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič, and the publication of its inaugural paper.

Thursday's launch event also included remarks from Ambassador Réka Szemerkényi, former Hungarian Ambassador to the United States, and Andris Piebalgs, Former EU Energy Commissioner, both members of EIES's Energy Leadership Security Council, and EIES's executive director Albéric Mongrenier, as they discussed how to tackle the challenges ahead in the face of a shifting geopolitical and economic landscape.

"We are in the middle of a very important decade for Europe—a make-or-break period," EVP Šefčovič said Thursday.  

"We need to develop an even stronger business case for clean tech and green tech in Europe. We cannot overlook anymore where the products are coming from, how they have been manufactured or their carbon footprint," he said.

The new geopolitical and economic reality has compelled Europe's leaders to broaden their focus, balancing national and economic security alongside energy transition goals. In the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and weaponization of gas supplies, Europe has successfully reduced—but not yet eliminated—its dependence on Russian energy.

We must however go further, as Russia remains an important threat to peace and stability in Europe, and the continent's energy transition, economic prosperity, and broader security are highly exposed to Beijing's dominance of critical materials and other supply chains. Leaders on both sides of the Atlantic must now embrace a strategic vision for a more integrated industrial, energy and trade policy, built with like-minded countries, that delivers broader security, strategic autonomy, tangible benefits, and long-term prosperity for future generations.

"We have understood that Russia, because of the security threat it means for the continent, is really a challenge that Europeans can't solve without the United States. We need transatlantic cooperation for that," said Ambassador Szemerkényi.

"But China, in the same way, is a security challenge that the U.S. would not be able to solve without the cooperation of its partners and allies in the transatlantic community and beyond. We are in a situation in history in which it is very clear that transatlantic cooperation and transatlantic values have a very special role in building the stability for the future," she said.

EIES will convene the decision makers who can make that future possible.

"Europe has begun a rather steep curve of learning on how to deal with energy security issues," said Ambassador Piebalgs. "And if you look forward, these challenges are not less but more. We need to anticipate the risks that are related to completely different energy systems in the years ahead. And at the same time, we know that when you are in a transition the risks are even stronger." 

"So you have a situation that Europe has never really experienced," he said. 

EIES's launch paper examines Europe's strategic energy supply chain dependencies and vulnerabilities, identifying a path for derisking the energy transition while safeguarding industrial competitiveness.

To achieve this, "leaders must prioritise a joint, whole-supply chain European energy security strategy," said EIES Executive Director Albéric Mongrenier, highlighting the report's recommendations.

"This should include the development of domestic mining, processing, and manufacturing capacity to the expansion of energy transport infrastructure, the development of national energy and industrial plans, and partnerships with like-minded countries on raw materials and clean tech, protected by trade defence tools to counter anticompetitive, antidemocratic behaviour," he said.

Watch today's panel discussion and read EIES's launch paper to learn more about the work ahead.

About EIES

The European Initiative for Energy Security (EIES) is a leading advocate for secure energy policies, dedicated to fostering collaboration between government and industry leaders. EIES seeks to address critical energy challenges and champion comprehensive solutions for the benefit of Europe's energy security, transition, and competitiveness. EIES works with the Energy Security Leadership Council-Europe (ESLC-Europe) to achieve these goals.

EIES was launched with the support of SAFE. EIES maintains independence from SAFE in its research and policy positions, and its positions do not engage SAFE's. Learn more at secureenergyeurope.org.

About ESLC-Europe

ESLC-Europe brings together European business leaders and former senior officials to support EIES's mission through their counsel, advocacy, and engagement.

• H.E. Jaak Aaviksoo, PhD (former Estonian Minister of Defence and former Minister of Culture and Education)
• Admiral Giampaolo di Paola (ret.) (former Chairman, NATO Military Committee and former Italian Minister of Defence)
• H.E. Jeppe Kofod (former Foreign Minister of Denmark and former Member of the European Parliament)
• H.E. Linas Linkevicius (former Foreign Minister of Lithuania and former Minister of National Defence of Lithuania)
• Joan McNaughton, CB (former Executive Chair of the World Energy Trilemma, World Energy Council; and former Chair of the Governing Board, International Energy Agency)
• General Tom Middendorp (ret.) (Chair, International Military Council on Climate and Security and former Chief of Defence of the Armed Forces of the Netherlands)
• Ambassador Andris Piebalgs (former EU Commissioner for Energy and former EU Commissioner for Development)
• General Sir Richard Shirreff (ret.), KCB, CBE (former NATO Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe)
• Ambassador Réka Szemerkényi, PhD (former Hungarian Ambassador to the United States)
• Julian Treger, President, CEO and Director, COTEC Holdings

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