Energy Security, the European Energy Union and the Mediterranean Countries

Abstract

This paper reviews the definition and the measurement of energy security based on an eclectic reading of the most recent literature. Energy security, economic competitiveness and environmental sustainability form an energy strategic trilemma. This trilemma is part of the most recent European strategy to build a European energy Union. This energy union is discussed in relation to the role the non-European Mediterranean countries can play in meeting their own strategic objectives, but at the same time contributing to the European Union's energy strategy. The paper concludes that this energy strategy is possible only if it is embedded in an overall strategy of economic, political, social and environmental development. 1

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“…The third section uses data from the World Bank and other sources to compare the macroeconomic performance of the * President, Athens Institute for Education and Research, Greece. 1 In a series of articles, both in English and Greek language, I have examined many aspects of the Turkish society and politics with emphasis on the Turkish-Greek relations and the Mediterranean in general; see Papanikos (2008Papanikos ( , 2011Papanikos ( , 2015Papanikos ( , 2016Papanikos ( , 2017bPapanikos ( , 2020bPapanikos ( , 2021Papanikos ( , 2022d.…”

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“…This section of the paper is partially based on a relative work I did for the recent (2023) Turkish elections; see Papanikos (2023a). 2 I discussed the issue of democracy inPapanikos (2011Papanikos ( , 2016Papanikos ( , 2017aPapanikos ( , 2020aPapanikos ( , 2022aPapanikos ( , 2022bPapanikos ( , 2022cPapanikos ( , 2023; see also the comments byMeydani (2022) andPetratos (2022) and a number of recent papers byCarrera (2022),Çelik et al (2022),Coulter and Herman (2020), de Caria Patrício (2022),Fruncillo (2017),Gilby (2021),Igwe (2021aIgwe ( , 2021b,Marchetti (2020),Obot (2019),Parziale and Vatrella (2019),Rafapa (2018),Reid (2019) andVerharen (2020).3 In ancient Athens, as reported by Plutarch in his Parallel Lives (Aristides), when there was a referendum to ostracize Aristides (540-468 BCE), who had built a reputation of being a fair manpolitician, a voter approached on the day of the vote without recognizing him and asked to put down the name of Aristides because he did not know how to write it on the ballot. When he asked what had Aristides done to him, he responded 'nothing, I do not know the man, but I am disturbed to hear everywhere that he is fair'.…”

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“…In addition, the Greek economy, and especially its tourist sector, is affected by the political and military developments in the Eastern Mediterranean. On the issue of military and its effect on international trade and economic growth seePapanikos (2015k), and on the issue of energy seePapanikos (2017). The thorny issue of Greek-Turkish relations is examined inPapanikos (2020cPapanikos ( , 2020d.…”