The meeting of Commissioner Oettinger with Mr. Marek Woszczyk
On March 31st European Commissioner for Energy - Günther Oettinger paid an official visit to Warsaw. The programme of the visit included the meeting with Mr. Marek Woszczyk - President of The Energy Regulatory Office - that took place at URE’s headquarters in Warsaw on Chlodna St.
The talks were dominated by the upcoming Polish Presidency in The European Council and covered the subject of EU’s external energy policy - one of the priorities of Polish Presidency. The emphasis was put on the European energy security and the need for all member states to speak with one voice when it comes to negotiations with foreign suppliers. The events of the Presidency in which URE intend to participate were also discussed. Commissioner Oettinger stressed Poland’s importance as a country of a significant market potential.
The Commissioner and the Regulator also talked about the current energy policy of the EU. The Commissioner underlined the need for further integration of the energy markets within the EU. According to both officials it is an essential task for the European Union to develop a transborder energy infrastructure and to enhance the regional cooperation in order to build the integrated EU energy market.
The conversation also touched upon the new tasks, resulting from the III energy package, that lay before the national regulators. Mr. Oettinger and Mr. Woszczyk talked about the roles of the newly created ACER and national regulators on the European energy market. The specificity of the energy sector makes regulation necessary due to the market’s imperfections. However, it is important to indicate that the cost and profit analysis of the energy sector regulation is positive.
The issues connected with energy efficiency, mainly in the context of smart grids, were also discussed during the meeting. Both, Mr. Oettinger and Mr. Woszczyk, agreed that smart grids play an important role in increasing the energy security and confirmed the need to develop and implement the smart grid projects in Poland and in Europe.
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Günther Oettinger was appointed Commissioner for Energy in February 2010. Previously he was the Minister-President of Baden-Württemberg. In 2009 he was recommended by the German government for the post of European Commissioner. In the European Commission Günther Oettinger is responsible for the direction taken by the European energy policy and the realization of the goals including the development of the internal/domestic energy market, the energy security, the development of the EU’s energy infrastructure as well as the energy efficiency and environmental protection.