The European Commission Unveils Its Energy Union Plan

Europe may be on its way to finding long-term relief from dependence on Russian energy. The European Commission on Feb. 25 released its Energy Union Package of proposals designed to continue developing the bloc's energy market and energy security. The proposals, meant to establish a European Energy Union, are more a continuation of EU energy policies than a radical departure from them. The proposals will not substantially decrease the energy supplies flowing from Russia to Europe, but they will continue to erode Moscow's ability to dictate prices in European markets — a tool Russia often uses to achieve political ends. Some of the broader initiatives, such as the greater harmonization of energy markets, will conflict with some member states' core national interests, weakening progress on these fronts.