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The leaders of five EU countries called for deeper cooperation with Britain on clean energy. They want to accelerate its return to the EU electricity market.
In a letter addressed to Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa, the leaders of Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Denmark said that deeper cooperation in clean energy would benefit both sides.
These five countries are calling for accelerated negotiations on the United Kingdom’s return to the EU’s internal electricity market. “We call on you and the United Kingdom to agree on the next steps to conclude these negotiations at the summit,” says the letter seen by The Guardian. The document was signed by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten, Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, Luxembourg Prime Minister Luc Frieden and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
Calling the United Kingdom “a close partner in the transition to clean energy,” the leaders said that integrating the country into the EU’s internal electricity market is “a necessary condition for unlocking the full potential of the North Sea region and turning it into the world’s largest clean-energy hub.”
Earlier this year, the United Kingdom and nine other European countries reached an agreement aimed at accelerating the deployment of offshore wind farms in the 2030s and creating an energy network in the North Sea. The United Kingdom’s exit from the EU’s internal electricity market is believed to be holding back the development of the North Sea’s energy potential and leading to additional costs.
However, the publication notes that the United Kingdom’s return to the internal electricity market could become a subject of dispute, as the country would be required to contribute to the EU budget—notably to cohesion funds intended to promote economic development in less prosperous regions.
Source: Wikipedia