‘I am pleased to present to you Ibec Global’s fourth edition of Divergence Watch, our quarterly publication which looks at the shifting relationship between the EU and the UK to help business leaders navigate the cost and complexity of doing international business. In this issue, we focus on EU and UK divergence and cooperation in the area of energy. Following our December publication focussing on the role of carbon pricing and carbon emissions, this edition of Divergence Watch will look at EU and UK policy developments regarding renewable energy and electricity market design. These twin proposals are being expedited with a view to ensuring consumers - both industrial and private citizens - can benefit from lower prices and more sustainable energy sources, while also achieving 2050 net-zero ambitions. The ambition on both sides will not only set the trajectory for the respective economies but also play a decisive role in future EU-UK relations. With the rapprochement between the EU and UK following the agreement on the Windsor Framework, there may now be sufficient political space to provide for more cooperation on these essential areas of electricity market design and renewable energy integration.’

Jackie King, Executive Director,
Ibec Global