ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of key concepts covered in subsequent chapters of this book. The book focuses on the Netherland's energy history, the government has been rather active in implementing both Electricity and Gas Directives. It talks about the cooperation between European member states on energy policy. The academic debate has been revitalized in light of the Ukraine crisis that started in early 2014, even though to date natural gas continues to flow to European buyers. In addition econometric approach aims to determine whether existing decision-making structures in the European Union (EU) are adequate to allow for European gas system's components to develop properly. Moreover, some recent developments in the EU, most notably the increase of spot-market trade and the decline of long-term oil-indexed contracts, confirm that European policy makers are actively looking at the United States (US) model as a model for the future.
