- Energy Community
The Treaty establishing the Energy Community (also known as Energy Community South East Europe Treaty or ECSEE) was signed in
Athens ,Greece on 25 October 2005 and entered into force on 1 July 2006.The treaty, which effectively sets up a European Energy Community, aims at establishing a single regulatory framework for trading energy across
southeast Europe and theEU on same terms, was signed by trade and energy ministers representing theEuropean Union ,Albania ,Bosnia and Herzegovina ,Croatia ,Republic of Macedonia ,Montenegro andSerbia , as well as UNMIK (asKosovo representative underSecurity Council resolution 1244 ).The treaty covers the sectors
electricity ,natural gas andpetroleum products.The treaty will ensure that signatory states will adopt EU single market regulations regarding energy (the EU
acquis communautaire in the relevant fields ofEnergy , Environment,Competition and others).The timetable for implementation of the Treaty is the following:
* in twelve months (by 1 July 2007) implement the two EU energy market directives and the regulation on cross-border network access.
* from 1 January 2008liberalization of the market for all non-household customers.
* by 31 December 2011 reduction in thesulphur content of certainliquid fuels .
* from 1 January 2015liberalization of the market for all customers.
* by 31 December 2017 limitation ofemissions of certainpollutant s into the air from largecombustion plants.The treaty builds upon the
South-East Europe Regional Energy Market forelectricity andnatural gas formed in the framework of theStability Pact for South Eastern Europe through theAthens Memorandum of November 2002 (coveringelectricity ) and its revision in 2003 (coveringnatural gas ).The Treaty has been criticised by the trade unions (European Federation of Public Service Trade Unions [http://www.epsu.org/r/239 EPSU] ) as it lacks a social dimension. The European Commission is now developing a Memorandum of Understanding on the social aspects in response.
Signature of the Treaty has been approved by the
European Parliament on 29 May 2006.Participants and observers
Participants of the treaty are the signatories:
Ratification
*
Kosovo (UNMIK) (UNMIK asKosovo representative underSecurity Council resolution 1244 ) - 23.12.2005
*Bulgaria - 07.03.2006
*Albania - 24.05.2006
*Republic of Macedonia - 29.05.2006
*European Communities - 29.05.2006
*Romania - 26.06.2006
*Croatia - 30.06.2006
*Bosnia and Herzegovina - 20.09.2006
*Serbia - 09.08.2006
*Montenegro - 15.12.2006Institutions
The main institutions established or being established are:
* Ministerial Council
* Permanent High Level Group
* Energy Community Regulatory Board (ECRB)
* Fora
* Secretariatecretariat
The Secretariat is provide administrative support to the other institutions of the Energy Community, reviewing the implementation of obligations by member countries, submitting yearly progress reports to the Ministerial Council, and reviewing and assisting the donors’ activity. The seat of the Secretariat is in
Vienna .ee also
*
Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe
*South-East Europe Regional Energy Market
*Energy policy of the European Union
*Baku Initiative References
External links
* [http://www.energy-community.org/ Energy Community official website]
* [http://www.ecrb.eu/ Energy Community Regulatory Board (ECRB), official website]
* [http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2006/l_198/l_19820060720en00180037.pdf Treaty establishing the Energy Community]
* [http://www.inogate.org INOGATE EU program]
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