Commenting on the process designed to set up an energy union to facilitate the creation of an EU-level energy market, the State Secretary at the Ministry of National Development responsible for energy affairs told news channel M1 that Hungary agrees with the need to strengthen regional cooperation on energy security and energy supply.
András Aradszki stressed that the creation of the energy union is necessary because the European Union meets its energy requirements by importing from countries which are not members of the EU. In the case of natural gas, some 80% of the EU's needs are met by imports.
For this reason the European Commission is working to create an energy market at union level so as to prevent a recurrence of the 2009 gas crisis, when no gas was transported from Ukraine, he added.
In terms of energy supply, the most vulnerable region is Central and Eastern Europe, as natural gas to this region is predominantly supplied by Russia. The situation in Western Europe is more balanced, the state secretary explained, as they also have access to gas from Norway and North Africa.
Mr. Aradszki confirmed that the draft legislation on the energy union is being consolidated by the Dutch presidency, and it will be discussed in the council of energy ministers in June.