The EU-Russia Energy Dialogue: Russia´s Energy Policy towards the EU Case Study: the EU-Russia Natural Gas Dispute in 2009

Bc. Lukáš VOJÁČEK

Master's thesis

Abstract:

This thesis deals with the European Union-Russia energy dialogue and puts an emphasis on the Russia´s energy policy towards the EU in the field of natural gas production and its supply to European markets. As a starting point, the work explicates the complexity of the EU-Russia relations in general and gradually moves its focus towards the concept of energy security and its different understandings, the concept of geopolitics, the disunity of the EU in relation to the Russian Federation in terms of its common energy policy, the Russia´s natural gas production capabilities, maps the Russian natural gas production companies and the network of pipelines, introduces new natural gas pipelines constructions, discusses the extent of politization of the natural gas sector in Russia, and Russia´s energy policy towards Ukraine and Belarus as transit countries. By answering questions raised in the thesis of the work, this work attempts to to contextualize the research results and relate them both to the theoris and practice. Using the empirico-analytical approach, the work describes and comments both on primary sources, such as concepts and official energy strategies of the Russian Federation, and secondary sources that are represented by various studies, essays, and articles and are subsequently related to the theories introduced in the work. The case study, the EU-Russia natural gas delivery dispute, points out and reveals the regularities and commonalities in the complex context of EU-Russia energy relations in the past 10 years.

Abstract:

This thesis deals with the European Union-Russia energy dialogue and puts an emphasis on the Russia´s energy policy towards the EU in the field of natural gas production and its supply to European markets. As a starting point, the work explicates the complexity of the EU-Russia relations in general and gradually moves its focus towards the concept of energy security and its different understandings, the concept of geopolitics, the disunity of the EU in relation to the Russian Federation in terms of its common energy policy, the Russia´s natural gas production capabilities, maps the Russian natural gas production companies and the network of pipelines, introduces new natural gas pipelines constructions, discusses the extent of politization of the natural gas sector in Russia, and Russia´s energy policy towards Ukraine and Belarus as transit countries. By answering questions raised in the thesis of the work, this work attempts to to contextualize the research results and relate them both to the theoris and practice. Using the empirico-analytical approach, the work describes and comments both on primary sources, such as concepts and official energy strategies of the Russian Federation, and secondary sources that are represented by various studies, essays, and articles and are subsequently related to the theories introduced in the work. The case study, the EU-Russia natural gas delivery dispute, points out and reveals the regularities and commonalities in the complex context of EU-Russia energy relations in the past 10 years.

Keywords

The European Union, the Russian Federation, Ukraine, energy security, energy policy, energy strategies, common European energy policy, geopolitics, transit countries, natural gas, natural gas production companies.

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 20. 5. 2011

Accessible from:: 20. 5. 2011

Thesis defence

• Supervisor: Mgr. Markéta Žídková

PALACKÝ UNIVERSITY IN OLOMOUC

Philosophical Faculty

Master programme / field:
Cultural Studies / Euroculture