EU external engagement and the Euro-Mediterranean energy cooperation: Between Regional initiatives and Strategic partnerships

• Author: Andrea Prontera
• Position: Assistant Professor of International Relations and EU Institutions and Policies at the University of Macerata (andrea.prontera@unimc.it).
• Pages: 223-231

REDI, vol. 71 (2019), 1

PERSPECTIVAS DE LA SEGURIDAD ENERGÉTICA

EUROPEA EN EL MEDITERRÁNEO

EU EXTERNAL ENGAGEMENT AND THE EURO-

MEDITERRANEAN ENERGY COOPERATION: BETWEEN

REGIONAL INITIATIVES AND STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

Andrea PronTera*

1. INTRODUCTION

In parallel with the development of the internal energy market (IEM),

the EU has gradually increased its external engagement on energy. This en-

gagement has taken different forms, namely the externalisation of EU en-

ergy policy, the integration of energy policy objectives into external policies

and energy diplomacy 1. The latter is mainly exemplified by the EU’s direct

involvement in promoting new gas supply routes, diversification and infra-

structure, as with the Southern Gas Corridor. This form is less-developed and

more problematic due to the limited resources and authority the EU has in

this regard. On the other hand, the externalisation of EU energy policy is the

most significant (and traditional) form of EU external engagement. This form

is also indicated as the «external dimension» of the EU internal energy mar-

ket 2 or the external face of the EU regulatory state 3. It is aimed at promoting

the EU regulatory framework beyond its borders and has manifested itself

in a variety of bilateral and multilateral structures that extend the functional

* Assistant Professor of International Relations and EU Institutions and Policies at the University

of Macerata (andrea.prontera@unimc.it).

1 baTzeLLa, F., «Work in Progress: The Development of EU External Engagement on Energy», in

damro, C., GsTöH, S. and scHunz, S. (eds.), The European Union’s Evolving External Engagement: To-

wards New Sectoral Diplomacies?, London, Routledge, 2018, pp. 107-125.

2 Herranz-surraLLés, A., «European External Energy Policy: Governance, Diplomacy and Sus-

tainability», in aarsTad, A. K., driesKens, E., JørGensen, K. E, LaaTiKainen, K. and Tonra, B. (eds.),

Sage Handbook of European Foreign Policy, London, Sage, 2015, pp. 911-925.

3 GoLdTHau, A. and siTTer, N., A Liberal Actor in a Realist World: The European Union Regulatory

State and the Global Political Economy of Energy, Oxford, Oxford University Press.

Revista Española de Derecho Internacional

Sección FORO

Perspectivas de la Seguridad Energética Europea

en el Mediterráneo

Vol. 71/1, enero-junio 2019, Madrid, pp. 223-231

http://dx.doi.org/10.17103/redi.71.1.2019.2b.01

© 2019 Asociación de Profesores

de Derecho Internacional

y Relaciones Internacionales

ISSN: 0034-9380; E-ISSN: 2387-1253