Sunday

10th Dec 2023

EU repeats demand for energy chapter in US trade treaty

The EU's trade chief has reiterated his demands for the US to include an energy chapter as part of a trans-Atlantic free trade deal.

"It is important that we come forward with a position on that [energy agreement] as soon as possible, because maybe you may have noticed that some things are going on in Europe," Karel de Gucht told reporters on Tuesday (9 September), according to Reuters.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

"I cannot imagine that there will ever be a TTIP without such [energy] provisions," he added.

De Gucht was in Washington to meet US trade representative Mike Froman ahead of the next round of talks between trade negotiators on a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) in the US capital at the end of this month.

Securing an energy chapter has long been a key priority for the Europeans. A leaked strategy paper from the European Commission earlier this summer argued that “it should not be difficult to establish a chapter with rules on trade and investment in energy and raw materials”.

The ongoing sanctions battle with Russia as a result of the Ukraine crisis has increased the EU's desire to break free from its dependence on Russian gas.

Specifically, the EU wants the US to ease its rules on exporting oil and gas so that exports to the EU would be automatically approved, removing a public interest test that the US government conducts before approving any sales. This would make it easier for European countries to access US supplies of natural gas and oil.

For their part, US officials remain non-committal.

“We’re not sure what the EU ask is on energy," US ambassador in Brussels, Anthony Gardner told reporters in July.

"Just concluding a free trade agreement will give quasi-automatic approval for exports of liquified natural gas", he added.

But loosening export rules could lead to higher energy prices for US consumers, who have benefited from a near 50 percent fall in energy prices over the past five years, largely as a result of the shale gas boom.

Analysis

How Moldova is trying to control tuberculosis

Moldova, Europe's poorest country, is working hard to combat tuberculosis. The country wants to be tuberculosis-free by 2030, at the same time as joining the EU. That's quite a challenge.

Feature

Sudanese fleeing violence find no haven in Egypt or EU

Since the cycle of violence started earlier this year in Sudan, more than six million people have been displaced. With increasingly fewer safe areas within the country, thousands have been forced to flee to neighbouring countries — especially Egypt.

Opinion

How should EU reform the humanitarian aid system?

The example of Ukraine illustrates that donors like the EU should be more ambitious about the localisation of aid. And this funding to local actors needs to be predictable, flexible, and longer than the typical one-year funding cycle.

Opinion

How should EU reform the humanitarian aid system?

The example of Ukraine illustrates that donors like the EU should be more ambitious about the localisation of aid. And this funding to local actors needs to be predictable, flexible, and longer than the typical one-year funding cycle.

Latest News

  1. How Moldova is trying to control tuberculosis
  2. Many problems to solve in Dubai — honesty about them is good
  3. Sudanese fleeing violence find no haven in Egypt or EU
  4. How should EU reform the humanitarian aid system?
  5. EU suggests visa-bans on Israeli settlers, following US example
  6. EU ministers prepare for all-night fiscal debate
  7. Spain's Nadia Calviño backed to be EIB's first female chief
  8. Is there hope for the EU and eurozone?

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersJoin the Nordic Food Systems Takeover at COP28
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersHow women and men are affected differently by climate policy
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersArtist Jessie Kleemann at Nordic pavilion during UN climate summit COP28
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCOP28: Gathering Nordic and global experts to put food and health on the agenda
  5. Friedrich Naumann FoundationPoems of Liberty – Call for Submission “Human Rights in Inhume War”: 250€ honorary fee for selected poems
  6. World BankWorld Bank report: How to create a future where the rewards of technology benefit all levels of society?

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us