Two bilateral agreements signed in Paris at the International Energy Agency biannual ministerial meeting mark the strengthening of ties and growing co-operation between Ireland and France in the field of energy efficiency, renewable energy and energy security.

The agreement between the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland and the French Agency for Environment and Energy Management follows the Ireland-France roadmap including the establishment of the Ireland France Sustainable Energy Forum agreed in May.

Minister for Energy Alex White and his French counterpart Ségolène Royal also signed a bilateral agreement on the reciprocal holding of emergency stocks of crude oil and petroleum products. The new agreement with France gives additional flexibility to Ireland’s National Oil Reserves Agency, which manages these stocks.

Energy minister Alex White commented :

“These two agreements build on existing cooperation between Ireland and France in energy security. They also mark a deepening of our partnership on energy efficiency and renewable technology, in particular in the area of marine energy and smart grids.”