Putting Energy Insecurity into Historical Context: European Responses to the Energy Crises of the 1970s and 2000s

Abstract

Recent discussions on the development of European Union (EU) energy policy have become dominated by a discourse of insecurity relating to the questions of energy dependence and relations with energy suppliers, echoing the debate during the energy crises of the 1970s. This article compares the two periods, analysing the way in which the EU (and the European Community in the 1970s) reacted to disruptions to energy supply. The article critically applies the concept of securitization, arguing that while the salience of energy increased in both periods, the Europeans neither faced an “existential threat” nor adopted “extraordinary measures” in responding to the crises.