The relations between the Russian Federation and the EU in the energy field

This thesis will shed light upon the current international energy legal agreements that govern energy dispute settlements among states, controversies over transit, and conciliator and arbitrator procedures. The role of energy as a tool of foreign policy will be analyzed by singling out the main global oil and gas producers, as well as their current and future trends in the economic and geopolitical sphere. The energy relations between the EU and the Russian Federation will be studied both through the analysis of legal agreements and recent sanctions, as well as through the economic and legal interpretation of a relation that dates back to Soviet times. There will be an evaluation of the possible usage of energy pipelines and other energy aspects as instrument of foreign policies by the Russian Federation in the last thirty years. The current and future options for the EU to diversify its energy imports will be clarified and potential future energy producers will be examined both in terms of conventional and unconventional resources. The emergence of China as one of the top energy consumers in the world represents a factor that has dramatically changed the global and the Russian gas market. The new relation between Moscow and Beijing in the energy field has the potential of affecting the future EU-Russia relations: various elements will be cited in order to clarify this correlation. Finally, the new focus on LNG infrastructure by Russian authorities and the current legal controversies around the construction of Nord Stream 2 will be coupled with an analysis of the EU past and current legislative framework in the energy field. Finally, there will be a concrete contribution in the scholarly debate around the pivotal question of the future of the EU-Russian energy relations and the various analytical components affecting it. After studying the different legal, geopolitical and economic factors at play in this relation, a critical observation of their relative weight and importance will allow to measure their impact on the overall scenario as well as comprehend their value and clout in the whole European energy market. Through this clear and accurate academic outcome, it will be possible to single out viable and tangible energy policies to be activated by European policymakers.