Towards the Energy Union: The BEMIP and the Case of Lithuania

Abstract:

In the framework of the EU Energy Union, the Baltic Energy Market Interconnection Plan (BEMIP) represents one of the EU’s key political platforms aiming to foster electricity and gas market integration in the Union’s least interconnected Baltic region. The purpose of this paper is to measure the extent of the BEMIP’s effectiveness in achieving energy sector integration by analysing the case of Lithuania in order to evaluate the Plan’s coherence in addressing the EU’s energy network deficiencies.

The paper also examines the purposefulness of minimum electricity and gas market interconnection requirements set by the EU and to measure the extent to which the Energy Union is successful in urging Member States to adopt long-term national energy and climate strategies, in line with EU policy perspectives.