Sustainable Energy Law Notebook

In a recent decision adopted by the Council on 2 March 2015 , the United Kingdom has been authorised to apply reduced levels of taxation on gas oil and unleaded petrol which are supplied as motor fuel to road vehicles .   The measure, proposed by the UK, examined by the European Commission and backed by the Council, aims to restore the balance for local fuels consumers faced with higher prices than the rest of the UK consumers . As explained in the decision, " the price difference is due to additional per unit costs induced by the geographic location of those areas, their low population numbers and the delivery of relatively low volumes of fuel ."   This decision is taken in accordance with the provisions of Article 19 of Directive 2003/96/EC on the taxation of energy products and electricity . Under that provision, certain criteria for the granting of exemption are set, such as conformity with the functioning of the internal market, the need to ensure fair comp...

  The Louisiana State University (LSU) Journal of Energy Law & Resources is organising a conference on comparative offshore oil and gas law regimes between the United Kingdom, Norway and the United States . The conference will take place in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA , on 12-13 March 2015 . It is structured around four topics : licensing systems , third party access to offshore infrastructure , license (lease) terms , and environmental, health and safety .   I am glad to be associated to this project and will be presenting the Norwegian licensing regime . See you in Baton Rouge?   More information on the event on the LSU website: http://www1.law.lsu.edu/cle/seminars/jelr/ And  brochure : http://host.law.lsu.edu/lsucle/15JELR.pdf    

The energy ministers of Norway and the UK signed today, 25 October 2011 , a " Joint Ministerial Statement on Climate Change and Energy Security " (doc. available HERE ). The document, as indicated by its title, is not legally binding , but is a political signal by the means of a joint agreemet to cooperate further on a series of energy issues of common interest for the two countries . It also reflects the desire to develop a common vision for energy activities in the North Sea ("One North Sea"). Interestingly, the issues of the exploitation of fossil and renewable energy sources are put together in the same document. The two agenda of securing a safe but continued petroleum production and promoting low carbon consumption and generation are to be conducted in parallel, and to a certain extent in coordination. On the last point, the next meeting of the UK-Norway High Level Officials' Dialogue will take place in London first half of 2012. Bilateral stat...