EU Proposes Energy Security Strategy
The European Union's executive has proposed a strategy to secure the bloc's energy supplies — and notably reduce its reliance on Russia — by seeking new supplies from the Caspian Sea, the Mediterranean and increasing use of transportable Liquefied Natural Gas, or LNG.
The plan EU Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger presented Wednesday will be considered by European leaders at a June 26 to 27 summit, but offers no easy fixes. Europe imports 40 percent of its gas from Russia, and half of that via pipelines that run through Ukraine.
Oettinger said at a press conference in Brussels European countries should also increase renewable energy production and "sustainable production of fossil fuels."
Europe imports about half of all its energy supplies, but targets producing 20 percent from renewable sources by 2020. (AP)
Russian E-Commerce Grew 25% in 2013
Russian Internet stores sold $15 billion worth of goods and services last year — 25 percent more than in 2012, an Internet research company said.
The total value of material goods traded on the Internet was $10 billion last year, while sales of digital goods and tickets made up the remaining $5 billion, said Boris Ovchinnikov, the founder of Data Insight, Itar-Tass reported Wednesday.
In 2013, the number online shoppers in Russia rose by 30 percent and now stands at 30 million, an increase that was driven largely by the 70 percent jump in the amount of people living outside Moscow who purchase goods and services via the Internet.
Ovchinnikov predicted that the online sale of material goods will be worth $13 billion next year due to fluctuations in the ruble. (MT)
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