Azerbaijan, Baku, October 1 / Trend E. Ismayilov /
The European domestic energy market is not integrated and competitive, Gunther Oettinger, the EU Commissioner for Energy, said at a conference on energy strategy 2011-2020 in Brussels.
He said that the external activities of national companies remains limited by different national rules and practices.
"The energy problem is really one of the greatest tests for Europe. To put our energy system to a new, more stable and secure path can take decades as opposed to the financial crisis. We need urgent and ambitious decisions to prepare our society for a low carbon, efficient and democratic energy future," Ottinger said.
Oettinger said that all sectors and social groups must be mobilized to solve the problem.
"We must restore our international leadership in sustainable power engineering and reformation of the energy market," he said.
He said that energy efficiency has been part of the European energy program for over 30 years. But no serious structural changes have been made during this period.
"We should create a new market for efficient use of energy and mass demand for energy-saving equipment and services," Ottinger said.
He said that Europe will need about 1 trillion euros of investment in the energy sector over the next 20 years. Some generating capacities should be replaced. The electricity network must be fully renovated to cope with the increased production of renewable energy sources.
"We must build new pipelines such as Nabucco to diversify and strengthen our gas supply," Ottinger said.
Ottinger said that now is not the best time to expect investments in new technologies and network, but there is no choice. In fact, the investments in low-carbon sector will create jobs, companies, skills and confidence and lead to growth, Ottinger said.