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This November, pipelines will feed the first gas from the Shakhtanese gas field in the

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Caspian Sea onshore to the terminal at Sangachal in Azerbaijan.

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For European consumers, these reserves are becoming increasingly important.

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The EU currently imports 50% of its energy needs, but that figure is set to rise to 70%

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by 2030.

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Price disputes, the weather, continuing instability in the Middle East, all have an impact on

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the market.

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So, in a volatile new century, what can Europe do to ensure the security of its energy supplies?

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What we have to do is to grow our relationships with many other countries, particularly those

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that are energy suppliers.

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That is, of course, Russia, but not only Russia, also Algeria, for instance, the Caucasian

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countries and Central Asia.

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Diversifying energy suppliers is important, and so too is investment in the pipelines.

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Through the InnoGate programme, the European Union has played a key role in attracting

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finance to the large energy projects throughout the network, politically as well as physically

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bringing energy to the market.

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And it is that market that is Europe's most powerful tool in guaranteeing supply.

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Four hundred and fifty million consumers make it one of the largest energy markets in the

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world, and together the member states have considerable purchasing power.

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While, on the one hand, it is natural that each and every country wants to work also

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for its own national supplies, it is very important to maximise the coordination.

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For the moment, I think there is no common energy policy, but there is a common energy

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vision of the future.

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This is very important.

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Having one voice on energy not only enables the EU to secure supply on behalf of the market,

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it also represents a real opportunity for Europe to present its sustainable energy vision

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to the world.