Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (Energy), 19/12/2018, 19 December 2018

Main results

The Council was updated on the state of play on the Clean energy package files.

I am very happy that yesterday we successfully concluded negotiations with the European Parliament on the two electricity market design files. This means that - provided EU ambassadors confirm this result - we now have a political agreement on the entire clean energy package. This will bring benefits to consumers in the form of lower energy prices and more possibilities to become active in the electricity market. At the same time, it strengthens the security of energy supply and helps us deliver our contribution to the Paris Agreement. It is an important step towards the completion of the Energy Union. Elisabeth Köstinger, Minister for Sustainability and Tourism of Austria, Council chair

Three pieces of legislation under the Clean energy package were formally adopted by the Council on 4 December:

• the regulation on governance of the Energy Union
• the directive on energy efficiency
• directive on renewable energy

Political agreements on the four remaining files of the Clean Energy Package - risk-preparedness in the electricity sector, the directive and regulation on the internal market for electricity and on the regulation on the EU agency for energy regulators (ACER) - were reached during the Austrian Presidency.

• Energy Union for Europe (background information)

The Commission presented its communication entitled "A Clean Planet for all: A European strategic long-term vision for a prosperous, modern, competitive and climate-neutral economy", which was published on 28 November. The presentation was followed by a first exchange of views on the topic among ministers.

• Communication from the Commission "A Clean Planet for all"
• The Paris Agreement (background information)
• A climate neutral Europe by 2050 (European Commission)

Ministers were also updated by the presidency on the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). The Transport Council reached a partial general approach on the CEF initiative on 3 December.

• Supporting transport, digital and energy sectors – Council agrees its position on Connecting Europe Facility (press release, 03/12/2018)
• Connecting Europe Facility (European Commission)

Under any other business, the Council was informed about the state of play on the revision of the gas directive. Further points concerned a follow-up on the "Hydrogen Initiative" which was launched at the informal meeting of energy ministers in Linz, in September 2018, as well as information on EU activities in the area of marine energy and recent developments in the field of external energy relations.