The European Commission has urged its members to sign up to an unprecedented common energy policy, unveiling a plan to diversify the bloc's energy sources, BBC reported.
Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso said it was time for a "post-industrial revolution" which would see Europe slash greenhouse gases by 20% by 2020.
But political as well as environmental concerns should spur change, he noted.
EU vulnerability as an oil importer was thrown into sharp relief this week when Russia's row with Belarus hit supplies.
There are three central pillars to the proposed integrated EU energy policy - true internal energy market, accelerating the shift to low-carbon energy and energy efficiency through the 20% target by 2020.