EU must become less dependent on imported energy: Danish PM

Visiting Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Thursday in Warsaw that a reduction in the dependence on imported energy should be one of the top priorities of the EU energy policy, the PAP news agency reported.

Rasmussen made the remarks at a press conference after meeting with Polish Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski. Rasmussen stressed that it was critical to obtain as much energy as possible from renewable sources in order to reduce the dependence on mineral fuels. Otherwise, the EU would depend even more on imported energy, he added.

According to Rasmussen, an energy network in the EU should be built in a way that increased solidarity among EU members. He also appealed for more efforts in research on new energy technologies.

Denmark has had extensive experience, especially in the field of energy saving and renewable sources. Danish experience in obtaining energy should be used by other EU countries, Kaczynski told reporters.

"We agreed that we should avoid a situation in Europe in which we are forced to do something because someone can use 'an energy weapon' against us," the Polish PM said.

The EU is reported to rely heavily on imported oil and natural gas, with only 46 percent of its gas supply and 21 percent of its oil supply being produced within its own member states. Russia is the biggest exporter of oil and gas to the EU.

Source: Xinhua