The common energy policy that has been much debated in Brussels' top offices is slowly gaining shape. The EU has launched a special investigation based on Lithuania's complaint against Gazprom's use of unfair competition instruments. So far, most Central and Southern European countries have jointly supported the initiative. And so they should, as this issue concerns them directly due to the fact that they depend on Gazprom more than others. By contrast, several big Western states, including France, Italy and Germany, are still surprisingly silent. Many think it is their support that will determine the outcome, and impact, of the investigation. Based on earlier experience with similar procedures in the EU, however, European experts claim that their reluctance will not be a decisive factor. POLITICAL PRICES "Real energy competition will be the best argument in favour of the EU," said Lithuania's President Dalia Grybauskaitė at her meeting with the European Commissioner for Energy,Günther Oettinger.