§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the implications for the United Kingdom of the European energy charter adopted by the European Commission in February.
§ Mr. WakehamThe Government support the objectives of the proposal for a European energy charter. The development and improved efficiency of the energy economies of eastern Europe and the Soviet Union are vital to their more general economic development; they are also important to the rest of Europe. There is a clear complementarity between the resources of the Soviet Union and the countries of eastern Europe and western technology, experience and finance. We hope that the charter will be of benefit to all signatories by creating an open and liberalised energy market throughout all of Europe, allowing for increased co-operation and trade. The paper which the European Commission has presented to member states suggests one possible way forward on the proposal; the initiative is still at an early stage.