Not a drop of Russian gas was flowing to the EU today, despite a weekend deal between Russia and Ukraine, according to the European Commission.

Russia’s president said today his country would do everything in its power to end a dispute with Ukraine that has led to drastic cuts in Russian gas supplies to Europe.

There was cautious optimism last night that Russian gas will begin flowing into Europe again next week following agreement on monitors in both Russia and Ukraine.

A team of energy experts assembled by the European Commission arrived in Kiev today to begin work monitoring gas flows from Russia to the EU via Ukraine.

The leaders of Russia and Ukraine were warned today to stop treating Europe’s gas supply as a “hostage” in their continuing dispute over unpaid bills.

RUSSIAN prime minister Vladimir Putin warned Ukraine yesterday of “severe consequences” if it disrupted gas supplies to Europe, as another New Year’s Eve energy dispute went down to the wire.

IRELAND’S electricity network could be linked directly to France or Spain as an alternative to having another interconnector with Britain.

DRIVERS can cut their fuel bills by following a few guidelines that will also reduce CO2 emissions.

SCIENTISTS from the European Environment Agency have called for a halt to plans to increase the share of biofuels used in transport, to which EU leaders have committed themselves.

IN her letter (March 31), Senator Deirdre de Búrca suggests the European energy innovation fund proposed by Libertas and welcomed by EU Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs, who called it a good and timely proposal, is in some way inconsistent with our opposition to the Lisbon Treaty.

IRELAND will be asked to make huge cuts in its CO2 emissions and to vastly increase the amount of energy from renewables in the EU’s climate change plan to be published next week.

A deal between Russia and Belarus on an oil pipeline was “very close” and supplies should be restored in the near future, EU energy chief Andris Piebalgs said today after meeting a senior Russian official.

The European Commission said today the EU must reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20% below 1990 levels by 2020 to limit global warming and prevent serious damage caused by climate change.

A Belarusian government delegation led by the country’s deputy prime minister today arrived in Moscow to hold talks on a trade dispute that has led to a suspension of Russian oil supplies to Europe via Belarus, ITAR-Tass news agency reported.

THE European Commission is to propose a 20% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 as part of a major energy policy for the Union.

Belarus has blocked the transit of Russian oil through its territory to European countries including Germany and Poland, news reports said today, raising the stakes in a bitter energy dispute between Russia and the neighbouring former Soviet nation.

Russia’s natural gas monopoly warned Belarus today not to siphon gas from the main pipeline leading across its territory to Europe if it goes ahead with a threatened supply cut-off on New Year’s Day.

HOUSEHOLDERS can cut 20% off their household bills immediately by taking simple steps like covering saucepans and unplugging electrical devices so they are not on stand-by, according to the EU.

THERE is an unprecedented global demand for oil. Western economies are gorging on oil at record levels. Emerging economic powerhouses, particularly China, are now also consuming millions of tons of oil per annum.

THE Government’s failure to open up the electricity and gas markets has led to Ireland having the seventh-most expensive energy prices among the 25 EU member states.

The Government must do more to open up the electricity and gas markets to drive down energy bills, it was claimed today.

The European Union today proposed plans to boost the production of alternative fuels such as biodiesel and ethanol through additional aid and investment, aimed at reducing Europe’s heavy dependence on oil and natural gas.

IRELAND plans to take the European Commission to court in the latest move to have Sellafield closed.

EU Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs said today the EU executive was confident that Russia and Ukraine would solve a gas transit dispute that threatens Europe’s supply of natural gas.

The stand-off between Russia and Ukraine over gas supplies sent a shiver running through western European countries fearing they may become innocent victims of the dispute between Moscow and Kiev.

Western Europe was warned that its supplies of gas could be hit if Russia carries out its threat to cut off fuel to Ukraine on New Year’s Day.

The European Commissioner for Energy has said the recent leak at Sellafield shows that the EU should be given control of the safety of nuclear installations.

Political leaders at the European Parliament declared victory today and said they would give their backing to the new executive under Jose Manuel Barroso after the incoming EC chief presented his reshuffled team.

A NEW European Commission team was announced by Jose Manuel Barroso last night, a week after he withdrew the previous line up because of objections from the European Parliament.