How do gas imports affect our relationship with Russia? Do energy revenues keep dictators in the Middle East in power? Could the use of sustainable energy sources lead to a new global balance of power? Will China’s growing demand for energy become a EU-problem? How should EU-member states cooperate in securing their energy supply?

Together with the United States and Southeast Asia, Europe is one world’s largest energy consumers. In the face of increased scarcity of fossil fuels, combined with rising energy demands to accommodate world economic growth, the EU is forced to rely on energy imports to an ever larger extent.

Securing the energy supply has significant implications for the political and economic relations between old and new global powers. For the EU too, the struggle for energy supply is not without consequences for both its external and internal relations. Externally, the supply routes of oil and gas to Europe from Russia and the Middle East are under growing scrutiny. Strategic relations that are pursued to ensure the security of energy supply can potentially undermine policies in other fields or run counter to European core values. Internally, contending policies by member states acting in their national interest may weaken the EU’s coherence.

The challenges facing the EU in the field of energy are complex and fundamental. Energy security is high on the EU political agenda. What will be the implications of turmoil in important supply regions? Does Europe have the strength to compete with other key import countries such as the US and the emerging economies? And how do developments in the energy markets influence intra-EU relations? But does the EU possess the political and economic means to adequately tackle these challenges? Bureaucracy and conflicts of interests in both the public and private sectors seems to impair decisive action.

In short, energy security is crucial for economic development and will be an important element in international relations. Power Politics touches upon these questions, drawing on the knowledge of experts from different perspectives: academics, business and governments.