ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION
on the right and access to energy
in the European Union and in Africa
and the role of an adequate legal framework.

Energy is central to modern life today, for social inclusion and economic development. With the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals, the world is committed to ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services by 2030 (SDG7).

In the European Union, more than 50 million households are facing energy poverty. The European Pillar of Social Rights recognises the right to access essential services of good quality, including energy. This has been recognised as a policy priority and addressed in the European Commission’s 'Clean Energy for All Europeans' legislative package.

With 43% of its population having no access to electricity and over 80% without access to clean cooking facilities, sub-Saharan Africa is facing a tremendous challenge to accelerate its electrification to fuel sustainable industrialisation and inclusive socio-economic development by 2030. African countries have great renewable energy resources, largely underexploited. The versatility of renewable energy generation allows it to compete at continent level with large fossil fuel power plants and interconnections and at local level, reaching remote parts of the continent through home systems and micro-grids.

With the Communication on the new EU-Africa Alliance for Sustainable Investments and Jobs, the EU is reshaping its relation to Africa in order to accelerate the mobilisation of private investments towards Africa. With the setting up an EU-Africa High Level Platform for Sustainable Energy Investments, the European Commission intends bring stakeholders together to identify enablers for private sector investments in Africa, including identifying the adequate legal framework to accelerate the electrification of the continent.

AGENDA

WELCOMING

INTRODUCTION

RIGHT AND ACCESS TO ENERGY: ENERGY POVERTY IN EUROPE

Aldo Travi, Member of the Scientific Committee of EFELA

Philippe Terneyre, President of the Scientific Committee of EFELA

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY INVESTMENTS IN AFRICA AND THE ROLE OF AN ADEQUATE LEGAL FRAMEWORK

Pippo Ranci, Professor of Economy, former Chair of the Italian Energy and Gas Regulator, AIDEN Founding Member

Jorge Vasconcelo, Honorary President of EFELA

Peter Cameron, Professor of Energy Law and Policy, Director, Centre for Energy, Petroleum and Mineral Law and Policy School of Social Sciences, University of Dundee, Vice-President of EFELA

The introduction will be followed by a group discussion chaired by the Dominique Ristori

Interpretation will be provided for the languages French, Italian and English.

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