EU4Energy holds regional conference to foster regional market approach in Eastern Partner countries

The decision-makers, regulators, and experts in the energy field from the EU and the Eastern partner countries took part in a regional conference on challenges and opportunities of regional integration, organised on 19 June in Vienna.

The conference ‘Creating Energy Market in the EU’s Eastern Neighbourhood’, held by the Council of European Energy Regulators (CEER) as part of the EU4Energy Phase II Programme, aimed to facilitate experience-sharing among ministries and energy regulators from the EU and the Eastern Partnership.

In the context of the current energy crisis and the consequences of Russia’s war against Ukraine, participants discussed the challenges and prospects in the South Caucasus and the need to secure energy supplies and create a regional market.

“Ensuring the delivery of secure, sustainable and affordable energy to consumers requires the integration of the energy market where barriers to cross-border trade are removed and common energy market rules are applied,” says a press release by CEER. “The creation of an integrated regional energy market can reduce countries’ energy volatility and dependence on a single source of energy. The development of a regional market would also increase energy trading among the neighbouring countries, promote the development of renewables and their integration into the grid, and thus encourage the diversification of energy sources.”

The EU4Energy initiative is funded by the European Union with a total budget of €8.5 million and is jointly implemented by the Council of European Energy Regulators (CEER), the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the Energy Community Secretariat (EnCS). The programme promotes interaction and cooperation in implementing reforms and bringing concrete benefits to citizens.

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Press release