Proposal for a Council Decision on a proposal to establish the Energy Community list of energy infrastructure projects

On 16 October 2015 the Ministerial Council of the Energy Community adopted a Decision on the implementation of Regulation (EU) No 347/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council on guidelines for trans-European energy infrastructure. The purpose of this measure was to create a legal framework for prioritising key energy infrastructure projects among Contracting Parties and between Contracting Parties and EU Member States.

Regulation (EU) No 347/2013 as adopted in the Energy Community sets a comprehensive framework for streamlining the permitting, regulatory and cost-allocation procedures in Contracting Parties. It also requires, subject to a number of criteria, a Ministerial Council Decision to establish under Title III of the Energy Community Treaty a list of priority infrastructure projects called projects of Energy Community interest (PECI). The final transposition deadline for main provisions of the Regulation and deadline for establishment of the list of PECI is 31 December 2016.

The list of projects in Annex 2 to this decision has been submitted by the project promotors and submitted for public consultation by the Secretariat of the Energy Community. It is under scrutiny by the Energy Community institutions as foreseen by the Regulation. The Commission is informing the Council about any developments regarding this process. The Commission will propose final position of the European Union on the Decision of the Ministerial Council adopting the list of projects of Energy Community interest in the course of preparations for the Ministerial Council in Sarajevo on 14 October 2016.

Regulation (EU) No 347/2013 also allows the possibility to apply the provisions of the Regulation to projects of mutual interest (PMI). These projects are projects that benefit two neighbouring states (Contracting Party on one and Member State on another side) but do not have the legal status of a project of Energy Community interest. At the same time these projects are supported by Contracting Parties and a Member States concerned. Regarding such projects and in addition to the proposal for a legally binding decision on PECIs, the Commission proposes that the EU proposes to the Ministerial Council of the Energy Community to issue a Recommendation to give a political impetus and undertake all necessary regulatory measures in order to progress with the realisation of PMIs.

EUR-Lex: COM(2016)456: Follow the progress of this proposal through the decision-making procedure http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2016:456:FIN

ESO: Background information: Commission unveils key energy infrastructure projects to integrate Europe's energy markets and diversify sources http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-commission-unveils-key-energy-infrastructure-projects-to-integrate-europes-energy-markets-and-diversify-sources/

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