Common Projects in the Energy Sector: The Balkans and the European Energy Union
Common Projects in the Energy Sector: The Balkans and the European Energy Union

Author(s): Alexei Margoevski
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Politics, Economy, Energy and Environmental Studies, Environmental and Energy policy, International relations/trade, EU-Accession / EU-DEvelopment
Published by: Университет за национално и световно стопанство (УНСС)
Keywords: energy security; energy supply; energy market; cross-border pipelines; liquefied natural gas
Summary/Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to analyze the cooperation in energy issues among SEEcountries. The paper focus is on the current energy projects of common interest in the region andthe perspectives for their realization from Bulgarian point of view. The EU Energy Union Strategysets the goal of diversification of gas supplies to Europe. Currently there are more than 70 gasprojects listed as Projects of Common Interest (PCI). The European Energy Union should be established by 2020. The process, however, faces serious challenges when it comes to the Balkanswhere national particularistic approaches to energy security are still strong. This is the regionwith the lowest level of energy connectivity in Europe. Since the Balkan countries have modestenergy resources, the level of analysis cannot be national or only narrowly regional. One mustrefer to the wider regional level. Hence, the importance of the Balkans for the global energy corridors comes from their strategic position The region is important for the transport of oil and natural gas from the Middle East and Central Asia to western markets. The interconnectors that arebuilt or have to be built in the region are PCI for EU. The Union declares that an emergency planfor possible energy crises must be established, and common approach must prevail over self-helpin such circumstances. For that reason since 1993 there have been plans for eight energy corridors in the SEE: "South stream" pipeline, then its successor the "Turkish stream", "NABUCCO",the "Trans-Adriatic pipeline", "AGRI" and "East ring", as well as the oil pipelines "AMBO" and"CPOT". Consequently, the EU supports the PCI in the region with the intention to incorporatethem in the future European Energy Union.

• Details
• Contents