Climate change and the need for secure energy supply, are increasingly contributing to the need for creation of an integrated energy strategy at European and national level. All EU Member States are faced with the challenges of climate change, increasing of import dependence and higher energy prices. Within the European Economic Area (EEA), European Union has effective energy relations with traditional suppliers of gas such as Norway, Russia and Algeria. Lack of energy in one country has a direct effect in other states.
In 1952 with the Treaty for coal and steel and in 1957 with the Euratom Treaty, Member States recognized the need for common approach to energy. Today, energy markets and geopolitical considerations have changed a lot. The need to undertake new actions is greater than ever before. Without joint action, the objectives of the European Union in many areas, including the Lisbon Strategy for Growth and the Millennium Development Goals will be hardly achievable.
The main objectives of EU energy policy are: security and energy supply, increasing competitiveness, environmental sustainability and tackling with climate change.