Different interests of European Union member states and the prospects of EU external energy policy

ISBN 978-609-467-058-9 (Print); ISBN 978-9955-34-496-4 (Print); ISBN 978-609-467-058-9 (Online); ISBN 978-9955-34-495-7 (Online)The European Union is a union based on liberal values with relatively strong supranational institutions. Such principles as subsidiarity, proportionality, solidarity and better regulation are the basis of EU policy making. However, when it comes to energy security and policy, member states are much more likely to follow their national interests, rather than the values and principles of the Union. In this paper I would argue that it is the nature of energetic security that makes states unwilling to risk their short-term energy interests for the sake long-term common goals. Difficult formalization of EU external energy policy and Member States’ unwillingness to assign more competences in this sector to supranational institutions implies that we should analyse EU energy security and policy in the context of the realist approachPolitikos mokslų ir diplomatijos fakult.Vytauto Didžiojo universiteta