Malta to be linked to Libya-Italy gas pipeline

Malta's connection to a proposed Libya-Italy gas pipeline routed via Sicily received formal support from the Euro-Mediterranean energy ministers' conference in Athens held last week.

The proposal was one of several possible future regional interconnections for oil, gas and electricity (both North-South and South-South) identified as being 'of common interest', and included in a wide-ranging set of priorities listed in a four-year regional energy plan adopted by the ministers. The conference was attended by ministers from the 27 member states of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, all EU accession states, as well as Libya and Bulgaria.

Malta's representative, Resources and Infrastructure Minister Ninu Zammit, stated in his speech that "a practical, technically feasible and cost-effective connection to a stable and secure gas network would reduce substantially Malta's reliance on oil imports by tankers." Ministry sources however indicated to The Sunday Times that such gas would replace oil in electricity production, but not be used for delivering piped gas to Maltese consumers.

The regional energy plan is a stepping stone toward the agreed goal of a fully integrated and interconnected Euro-Med energy market. Ministers also supported the "Euro-Mediterranean dimension" of the recent European Commission proposal to develop a single energy policy for the enlarged union and all its neighbouring states and partners.

Meanwhile, the EC, Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia are working on the development of a Maghreb electricity market and its future integration into the EU internal market.

In a political breakthrough, the Israeli and Palestinian ministers announced plans to co-operate in a technical working group (also involving the European Commission and other interested Mediterranean partners) to identify and promote local interconnections.

Options to reduce oil tanker traffic between Mediterranean nations will be evaluated in the near future. The ministerial declaration states that "it is important to consider the advisability of reducing the maritime transportation of hydrocarbons in the Mediterranean by the development of oil pipelines if these are shown to be technically, economically and environmentally feasible."

A ministerial conference hosted by Italy this December on "Promotion of Investment and Financing of Infrastructures" will review a related Italian government study as well proposals for new financial instruments to finance Euro-Med energy development.

A "substantial" increase in the role of energy efficiency and renewable energy was also supported "in the perspective of a sustainable energy future". Mr Zammit announced in this connection Malta's indicative target of deriving five per cent of energy supplies from RNEs by 2010.

Environmental groups strongly criticised the draft ministerial declaration and the exclusive role given to industry in Euro-Med energy discussions. In a press statement on Monday, Climate Action Network Europe and Greenpeace International demanded that "Euro-Mediterranean energy ministers in Athens formally commit to a sustainable regional energy strategy.

"Climate change considerations must be mainstreamed, increased fossil fuel use and huge mega-projects de-emphasised in favour of environmentally sustainable alternatives. The new energy strategy must prioritise demand side management, energy efficiency, conduct a critical independent evaluation of energy demand projections and 'needed investment' forecasts, give adequate focus to rural energy needs in the south, and involve civil society and parliamentarians in the follow-up process to the Athens ministerial."

However, the final declaration did not reflect these ideas.