Position Paper
European Union Committee
Topics:
1. Energy Security: Its Importance and Need.
2. Border Control: A Focus on Terrorism and the Refugee Crisis
Nation: Germany
Introduction
Germany is a key player in the European Union, taking on important responsibilities including border
control and energy security. Being the biggest economy in Europe, our decisions and actions have a
big influence. Our approach to these difficulties is guided by our commitment to sustainability,
creativity, and humanitarian beliefs.
Energy Security
Impact on Germany
Energy security is vital for Germany’s economic stability. Our reliance on energy imports makes us
vulnerable to global market fluctuations and geopolitical tensions. These fluctuations can lead to
increased costs for consumers and businesses, hindering economic growth. Moreover, disruptions in
energy supply can affect various sectors, including manufacturing, transportation, and healthcare.
The energy transition, in Germany known as the “Energiewende”, is the country’s planned transition
from a clear dominance of hydrocarbon energy sources and nuclear to a low-carbon and nuclear-free
economy based on the utilization of renewable sources.
Germany is on track regarding its target for 80% of supply to come from renewables by 2030.
Germany was at 46% in 2022. However, the 2% reduction of greenhouse gas emission reduction
across all industry sectors that occurred in 2022 is not sufficient to put the country on track to
reaching its 2030 climate target, which is to reduce emissions by 55 percent compared to 1990. The
energy crisis fuelled by Russia’s war against Ukraine caused an increase in the use of dirtier coal
electricity. Both the transportation and real estate sectors missed their 2022 greenhouse gas reduction
targets. The country would have to triple the annual reduction from 2 percent in 2022 to 6 percent
from 2023 onwards to attain their 2030 goal.
Investments in offshore wind, photovoltaics, grid expansion, and energy storage projects will be
necessary. So will the implementation of a new, smart energy infrastructure that can balance the
fluctuating supply of renewable sources. Furthermore, energy efficiency will play a key role. For
decades, Germany has been the global pioneer in applying renewable energy and environmental
technologies.
However, Germany has maintained a high degree of oil and natural gas to maintain electricity supply
security with oil and gas being almost exclusively imported. These dependencies have generated two
potential sources of instability. First, global price changes strongly affect German energy importers
and end users. Second, market developments depend heavily on Germany’s relations with certain
countries. The planned nuclear and coal phase-outs at the same time are set to increase the country’s
reliance on natural gas, making it increasingly important to continue efforts to diversify gas supply
options, including liquefied natural gas imports.
Chancellor Angela Merkel has stated, “The energy transition is a central project for ensuring a
sustainable future for our country. It strengthens our energy security and contributes significantly to
protecting the climate.”
Border control
Policies and justifications
Germany has implemented several noteworthy initiatives aimed at enhancing energy security,
including:
The Energiewende Initiative wants to see 65 percent of our electricity generated from renewables by
2030. These energy sources consist of wind,
sun, and biomass. This shift reduces our need on imported fossil fuels, which are subject to fluctuating
pricing and disruptions in supply. It also mitigates the detrimental effects of uncertainty in the global
energy market on our economy and supports efforts to combat climate change.
Putting Money Into Grid Modernization and Energy Storage: To help with the acceptability of
renewable energy, Germany is developing state-of-the-art energy storage technology including
batteries and pumped water storage. These technologies help to balance the supply and demand for
energy, even with renewable sources.
Enhanced Intelligence Sharing: Germany supports better information exchange and cooperation
amongst EU members. This involves enhanced routes of communication between authorities and
intelligence services, cooperative operations, and shared databases. EU member states can better
detect and combat possible security risks, such as organised crime and terrorism, by cooperating with
one another. Enhanced intelligence sharing also helps to implement the Schengen Agreement, which
allows for passport-free travel across much of Europe while ensuring strong exterior border controls.
"We must ensure the security of our borders to protect our citizens from threats while maintaining our
commitment to humanitarian values," Interior Minister Horst Seehofer has emphasised. Information
sharing and efficient border control are essential elements of this strategy.
Germany is also making technological investments to strengthen border security, , including
unmanned border control gates and advanced surveillance systems. By improving the effectiveness
and efficiency of border management, these technologies make it possible to identify unlawful
activity and unauthorised invasions more accurately. Additionally, Germany backs programmes that
deal with the underlying reasons of migration, like resolving conflicts and encouraging economic
growth in the nations of origin of refugees. We can lessen the pressure that forces individuals to flee
their homes by supporting international efforts to rebuild areas affected by poverty and conflict.