-- The European Union is preparing to accelerate the transition to clean energy, framing the shift as a national security imperative amid the Middle East conflict, which has roiled global energy markets, Politico reported on Thursday, citing a draft agreement.
Foreign ministers from the EU's 27 member states are expected to sign off on a strategic overhaul of the bloc's energy diplomacy next Tuesday, the report said. The proposed conclusions emphasize the need to strengthen energy security and strategic autonomy amid heightened geopolitical risks.
With global energy markets roiled by the Iran conflict, the draft frames accelerating clean energy deployment as the central policy response, positioning the transition as both an economic and a security imperative.
EU officials warned that escalating hostilities in Iran and the broader Middle East pose mounting risks to both regional stability and the global economy, the report said, citing a draft statement backed by the bloc's Political and Security Committee on April 14.
The European Commission did not immediately respond to' request for comment.
The text, which still requires approval from EU ambassadors and foreign ministers, underscores Europe's continued vulnerability stemming from its heavy reliance on imported fossil fuels. It argues that accelerating the shift toward domestically produced clean energy is the most effective path to strengthening the bloc's strategic autonomy.
EU member states said that faster deployment and integration of renewable and low-carbon energy sources would help lower energy costs and enhance economic resilience. The transition, they added, is central to reinforcing both energy security and broader economic sovereignty.
The draft also calls on the EU to prepare for the geopolitical and trade implications of a steady decline in fossil fuel import demand over the next decade, signaling a potential reshaping of global energy relationships.
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