sustainable, competitive, affordable energy. Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, introduced the idea of an energy union when he was Prime Minister of Poland. Eurocommissioner Vice President Maroš Šefčovič called the Energy Union the biggest energy project since the European Coal and Steel Community. The EU's reliance on Russia for its energy, and the annexation of Crimea by Russia have been cited as strong reasons for the importance of this policy. The European Council concluded on 19March 2015 that the EU is committed to building an Energy Union with a forward-looking climate policy on the basis of the commission's framework strategy, with five priority dimensions: Energy security, solidarity and trust A fully integrated European energy market Energy efficiency contributing to moderation of demand Decarbonising the economy Research, innovation and competitiveness. The strategy includes a minimum 10% electricity interconnection target for all member states by 2020, which the Commission hopes will put downward pressure onto energy prices, reduce the need to build new power plants, reduce the risk of black-outs or other forms of electrical grid instability, improve the reliability of renewable energy supply, and encourage market integration. EU Member States agreed 25 January 2018 on the commission's proposal to invest €873 million in clean energy infrastructure. The projects are financed by CEF (Connecting Europe Facility). €578 million for the construction of the Biscay Gulf France-Spain interconnection, a 280 km long off-shore section and a French underground land section. This new link will increase the interconnection capacity between both countries from 2.8 GW to 5 GW. €70 million to construct the SüdOstLink, 580 km of high-voltage cables laid fully underground. The power line will create an urgently needed link between the wind power generated in the north and the consumption centres in the south of Germany. €101 million for the CyprusGas2EU project to provide natural gas to Cyprus. Progress Reports First Report on the State of the Energy Union, November 2015 Second Report on the State of the Energy Union, 1 February 2017 Third Report on the State of the Energy Union, 23 November 2017 . Earlier proposals The possible principles of Energy Policy for Europe were elaborated at the commission's green paper A European Strategy for Sustainable, Competitive and Secure Energy on 8 March 2006. As a result of the decision to develop a common energy policy, the first proposals, Energy for a Changing World were published by the