The European Commission is to present Wednesday a blueprint for the future Energy Union.

The establishment of the energy union is a priority task for the Juncker commission aimed at reducing the dependence of the EU Member States on Russian natural gas and at boosting the energy efficiency of the housing stock, according to reports of the Bulgarian National Television.

Under the plan, which seeks to help EU countries avoid shortages, barriers between the 28 national energy markets are to be lifted.

The proposal concerns both natural gas and electricity markets.

In the case of disruptions, Member States should be able to exchange energy supplies without problems.

The project envisages broad diversification of energy supply sources and transportation routes and pays special attention to the Southern Gas Corridor project which will carry gas from the Caspian region to European markets.

The establishment of gas distribution centers and gas grid interconnections is a priority task cited in the document in a bid to ensure connectedness on a regional and EU level.

Shale gas development is also cited as an option for achieving energy independence, according to the draft blueprint, as cited by the Bulgarian National Radio.

The step is to achieve a fundamental transformation of Europe’s energy system by abolishing the existing “fragmented system characterized by uncoordinated national policies, market barriers and energy-isolated areas.”

A single regulator is to take over a part of the responsibilities of the existing national energy watchdogs.

The EU Member States will have to submit future supply agreements for review to the European Commission before they are signed, according to the document, as cited by The Guardian.

The plan also envisages the phasing-out of below-cost regulated prices by 2016.

The project also includes measures aimed at reducing energy consumption, producing cleaner energy, and encouraging innovations in the sector.

The future energy union is to be wrapped up by 2019.

The project for an EU energy union has been met with opposition by the German authorities and by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Germany and Hungary are unwilling to delegate national powers over energy policy to the EU.

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