Brussels to draft shale gas rules by end of year

The EU will draft rules for shale gas production by the end of 2013, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said on Tuesday (28 May).

Speaking during a debate with MEPs, Barroso said the framework would allow "the safe and secure extraction of shale gas in Europe."

Energy prices in Europe are more than twice the levels in the US, while concerns over costs and energy dependence are particularly pressing for eastern European countries, which are reliant on Russian energy...