OREANDA-NEWS. April 21, 2016. March was an important month for key EU energy infrastructure projects, for which the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) has made available €200 million in its first call of this year.  With applications due by the end of April, this month will be a busy one for projects keen to unlock the investment needed to eliminate bottlenecks that prevent the free flow of energy. But a well-interconnected energy network is also always good news for consumers. As Commissioner Miguel Arias Ca?ete highlighted, this call means "we are actively investing EU money where it is most needed and where it will bring most gains".

And we had the best tangible example this month with the two grant agreements amounting to €5.6 million that were signed for the construction works of the Midcat gas pipeline. When built, this pipeline will contribute to integrating the gas markets of the Iberian Peninsula with the rest of Europe.

This month we have also had the opportunity to discuss with the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) on how we can best work together to accelerate the global clean energy transition. The high level EU-OPEC dialogue was a timely occasion to discuss the challenges caused by the recent drop in oil prices and analyse possible future trends.

On the international front, this month the EU strengthened its ties with India, a major world player and a crucial partner for the EU on energy. The Joint Declaration on energy security and fighting climate will go a long way to building a lasting clean and sustainable energy partnership with one of the fastest growing major economies. Let me also highlight the important political delegation to Iran, which had a strong focus on energy, and which Commissioner Arias Caete supported with his presence.

We will keep up that momentum in April with the signing ceremony of the Paris Agreement in New York. For our part, it will be about reiterating the EU's commitment to the 2030 energy and climate goals and to the energy transition to a low-carbon future. It will also be a timely reminder of the need to put in place the  energy policies and instruments to turn pledges into action. That work has already started in earnest in the Commission. This year will we will make proposals on putting energy efficiency first and securing the EU's role as a world leader in the field of renewable energy.

Let me finish by mentioning the Nuclear Illustrative Programme that the Commission has just adopted. It will constitute, together with the Recommendation concerning Article 103 Euratom, an excellent basis for an open discussion on the future of nuclear energy.

Thank you

Dominique Ristori