The EU wants to create a single energy market in Europe.
The Commission hopes that its Energy Union strategy will make Europe's energy supply
more secure, affordable and climate-friendly.
But the energy market is currently highly fragmented, and focused on national interests.
The price that the average European household pays per kWh of electricity
has risen from 12 cents in 2005 to 18 cents in 2014.
But the prices in individual countries varies significantly.
In Bulgaria and Hungary, households currently pay around 10 cents per kWh,
but in Germany and Denmark, energy is three times more expensive.
Factors that influence price include a country's geographic location, energy resources,
and world market prices. But energy policies are increasingly a significant factor.
Subsidies for all types of energy are growing across the majority of countries in the EU.
Only two member states, Austria and Sweden, decreased their subsidies from 2008 to 2012.
The rest of the EU increased by 57%.
Leading the way were Denmark and Greece, which increased subsidies by over 1000%,
and Germany, which accounts for roughly 25% of all energy subsidies in the EU.
But despite more subsidies, electricity prices are still increasing.
While household electricity prices have risen by 50% from 2005 to 2014,
the average price for industrial consumers has increased by 66%.
These prices also vary significantly across the EU.
In Germany and the Netherlands, prices for medium-sized industries
have remained fairly stable, increasing by around 25%.
In the United Kingdom and Poland, however, prices have gone up by as much as 100%.
To be successful in building a true Energy Union, the Commission has a tough job ahead.
Harmonising the different national policies, building a transnational infrastructure,
and getting member states to work together, towards a common goal.